President Trump has announced his intention to pardon Scott Jenkins – the former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia – who was convicted on federal bribery charges late last year. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
A jury convicted Scott Jenkins in federal court in Roanoke last December on 12 felony counts of conspiracy, fraud, and bribery. Prosecutors said Jenkins accepted at least $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing people as auxiliary deputy sheriffs. The appointees included three co-defendants who all pled guilty to bribery charges, and two undercover federal agents. A federal judge sentenced Jenkins to 10 years in prison and ordered him to forfeit the bribe money.
The Washington Post reported that Jenkins said there was no connection between the cash he accepted and the auxiliary deputy badges he handed out. He has appealed his conviction. But the appeal may be moot, as The Associated Press reported on Monday that Trump plans to pardon Jenkins.
WMRA reached out to two of Jenkins' attorneys on Tuesday and did not hear back. We also contacted the current Culpeper County Sheriff, Tim Chilton, who beat Jenkins and another challenger in 2023 following Jenkins' indictment. Chilton declined to comment on Jenkins' case or the pardon, but said he disbanded the auxiliary deputy program upon taking office.
TIM CHILTON: As soon as I came in, that was one of the first things that I got rid of. … Obviously, it had some things surrounding it that weren't the best for the office and the look of the office and the county.
Chilton has launched new programs, including the 'Star Cadets' for youth with disabilities and the 'Community Trust Partners' – two deputies who are fluent in Spanish and are tasked with building relationships with local residents.
