WASHINGTON — Former Fairfax City Mayor Richard “Scott” Silverthorne, who was caught in a sex-for-drugs scandal last summer, pleaded guilty Monday to a drug charge as part of a plea deal and was ordered held until his sentencing.
Silverthorne pleaded guilty to one count of distributing crystal meth in Fairfax County Circuit Court.
He had been free on bond as his case proceeded. But Judge Grace Carroll revoked that bond until Silverthorne’s sentencing in June.
The former mayor was placed in handcuffs and led away. His defense attorney Brian Drummond and more than a dozen of Silverthorne’s friends and relatives in the courtroom appeared shocked by the judge’s decision.
“He has no prior record. He’s a lifelong area resident. He’s gainfully employed and has absolutely nothing else in his history that would indicate that he’s either going to be a risk of flight or a threat to the public,” Drummond said after the hearing.
He said that Silverthorne has also cooperated throughout the case.
Silverthorne was caught up in a police sting at a Tysons Corner hotel in August. Police said they received a tip that the then-mayor was using a dating website to set up sexual encounters with men in exchange for drugs. Silverthorne was accused of giving an undercover police officer 2 grams of methamphetamine at the hotel.
He was also initially charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.
The three-term mayor resigned after his arrest. He also served as a substitute teacher for Fairfax County Public Schools and was terminated from that role.
Sentencing is set for June 9.
Johnson reported from Fairfax, Virginia.
