Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins Arrested.
Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins has been taken into custody.
He, along with three businessmen from Virginia, has been charged with federal bribery offenses.
The indictment alleges that they engaged in the exchange of police credentials for bribes.
This development was announced by the US attorney’s office.
Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins Arrested
The County Sheriff Scott Howard Jenkins, a Virginia law enforcement official, is confronting serious federal charges following allegations of engaging in fraudulent activities linked to the issuance of deputy sheriff badges.
The US Justice Department has asserted that Jenkins, along with three other individuals from Virginia, conspired to exchange bribes in exchange for law enforcement credentials.
According to the indictment, Jenkins purportedly accepted cash bribes and campaign contributions amounting to at least $72,500.
In return, he allegedly appointed individuals as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, granting them badges and identification cards.
The indictment further accuses Jenkins of deceitfully authorizing those who offered bribes to carry concealed firearms across all 50 states without obtaining the necessary permits.
Additionally, Jenkins is alleged to have provided false information to aid one individual in obtaining approval for a petition to restore firearms rights, in exchange for bribes.
US Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh emphasized that the charges against Jenkins not only violated federal law but also shattered the faith and trust bestowed upon him by the citizens of Culpeper County.
Elected officials are expected to uphold the rule of law and refrain from exploiting their authority for personal financial gain.
Jenkins now faces charges of conspiracy, honest-services mail and wire fraud, as well as federal programs bribery. The three other individuals involved in the conspiracy face various charges as well.
At present, the defense attorneys representing the accused have not provided comments on the matter.
Jenkins, who has held the position of Culpeper County Sheriff since 2011, was reelected twice in 2015 and 2019.
What Led To Scott Jenkins Arrest?
Scott Jenkins, the 51-year-old Sheriff of Culpeper County in Virginia, is currently facing indictment for a series of financial offenses.
The charges against him allege that he accepted bribes in exchange for leveraging his elected position.
It is claimed that Jenkins received funds exceeding $72,500 from eight individuals, including both prominent businessmen and undercover FBI agents, under the guise of campaign contributions.
According to court documents, Jenkins allegedly accepted bribes from three businessmen – Rick Tariq Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf – as well as at least five others, starting from April 2019.
In return, he allegedly appointed these individuals as auxiliary deputy sheriffs and provided them with official badges and identification cards from the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office.
The indictment was unsealed on June 29, 2023.
The charges against Jenkins include one count of conspiracy, eight counts of federal programs bribery, and four counts of honest-services mail and wire fraud, based on the evidence presented in the court documents.
In addition to accepting bribes, Jenkins is accused of using his influence to facilitate the approval of Rick Tariq Rahim’s petition to regain his gun rights.
Allegedly, Jenkins exerted pressure on a Circuit Court judge and employees in the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to aid Rahim’s request.
Significantly, the FBI seized a substantial portion of funds from Jenkins’s accounts in January 2023.
Conversations and monetary exchanges detailed in the court documents serve as potentially incriminating evidence against Jenkins and his alleged co-conspirators.
Furthermore, Jenkins is accused of omitting the alleged bribe amounts from his campaign finance reports submitted to the Virginia Department of Elections.
Culpeper Sheriff Arrested
On July 7th, 2023, Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins experienced a significant development in his situation as he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Virginia State Police on federal charges including bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy.
The indictment, consisting of 16 charges, alleges that Jenkins received bribes totaling at least $72,000 from two businessmen referred to as Individual A and Individual B in the indictment.
In exchange for these bribes, he allegedly utilized his position as Sheriff to influence contract awards in favor of their companies in dealings with the county government.
The indictment details how Jenkins attempted to conceal the nature and origin of the bribes by accepting them in various locations and through intermediaries.
It further asserts that he utilized his official authority to provide favorable treatment to the businessmen during the county’s bidding process.
The charges against Jenkins include conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to commit bribery.
If convicted on all counts, he could face substantial fines and a potentially lengthy prison sentence.
The news of Jenkins’ arrest has had a profound impact within Culpeper County and beyond, leaving many shocked and disheartened by the revelations.
As the case unfolds, it is important to remember that Jenkins is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The investigation continues, and the community anxiously awaits the resolution of this high-profile and contentious case.
Who Was Arrested On Federal Bribery Charges Along With Businessmen?
A sheriff in Virginia has become embroiled in a scandal involving public corruption, as he faces federal charges for allegedly engaging in a bribery scheme.
Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, along with three businessmen, is indicted on 16 counts related to conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery involving federally funded programs.
According to the charges, Jenkins, who took office in 2011, is accused of accepting bribes amounting to at least $72,500 from the indicted businessmen and others, including undercover FBI agents, during his 2019 reelection campaign.
The indictment alleges that Jenkins misused his position for personal financial gain and to secure campaign funds.
In exchange for the bribes, he granted the co-conspirators the status of auxiliary deputy sheriffs, enabling them to carry badges and firearms with authority.
Jenkins personally authorized this arrangement, which came into effect in January 2020.
Additionally, the indictment accuses Jenkins of pressuring and advising fellow public officials to approve a petition filed by one of the co-conspirators, Rick Tariq Rahim, seeking the restoration of his gun possession rights.
The specific reasons for Rahim’s loss of gun rights are not disclosed in the indictment.
Jenkins, Rahim, and the two other businessmen, Fredric Gumbinner and James Metcalf, were arrested as planned and had their initial appearances scheduled in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh strongly condemned Jenkins’ actions, stating that he not only violated federal law but also breached the trust of Culpeper County’s citizens by accepting cash bribes in exchange for auxiliary deputy badges and other benefits.
Kavanaugh emphasized that elected officials are expected to uphold the rule of law and refrain from misusing their power for personal gain.
It’s worth noting that Jenkins previously made headlines in Virginia for announcing his plan to deputize county residents in response to what he considered “unnecessary gun restrictions” if passed by the state legislature after the Democratic majority’s election.
He shared this intention on Facebook in December 2019.
