Former Culpeper County, Virginia, Sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday on multiple bribery charges.
Jenkins, 53, was convicted in December for his role in a “cash for badges” scheme in 2022, in which he accepted over $75,000 in cash payments in exchange for appointing unqualified auxiliary deputy sheriffs to his department.
Jenkins’ charges include one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
“We hold our elected law enforcement officials to a higher standard of conduct and this case proves that when those officials use their authority for unjust personal enrichment, the Department of Justice will hold them accountable,” acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee said.
At trial in December, two undercover FBI agents who were sworn in as auxiliary deputies in 2022 testified they gave Jenkins envelopes with $5,000 and $10,000 cash, respectively. Jenkins also accepted bribes in the form of campaign donations from Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia said in a news release.
The men were then appointed as auxiliary deputy sheriffs without proper training or vetting.
Rahim was sentenced to 78 months in prison in a separate tax and wire fraud scheme earlier this month.
Gumbinner and Metcalf have pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme and await sentencing.
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