Former Culpeper County, Virginia, sheriff Scott Jenkins was expected in federal prison on Tuesday but will no longer head there, after a Memorial Day pardon by President Donald Trump.
A jury convicted Jenkins in December in a yearslong bribes-for-badges scheme the News4 I-Team has covered extensively.
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WATCH HEREWe’ve heard from sources and from Jenkins himself, speaking on a podcast, that he wanted a pardon and was encouraging people he knew to help make it happen.
Trump’s pardon wipes clear Jenkins’ conviction and 10-year sentence.
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SIGN UP Former U.S. Attorney Tim Heaphy said he thinks Trump’s pardon sends the wrong message.
“My fear is that some people believe that there’s this sort of get-out-of-jail-free card or a backstop because of their political ideology,” he said in an interview Tuesday.
“Corruption has been a bipartisan issue. Regardless of who’s in charge, it has been prioritized by administration after administration,” Heaphy said.
After two weeks of testimony, the jury in Jenkins’ case took just two hours to find him guilty of bribery, fraud and conspiracy. Prosecutors said bribes captured on FBI recordings proved Jenkins took more than $100,000 from wealthy men who then got deputy badges.
Three of the men pleaded guilty and admitted to doing it.
Chris Kavanaugh was the head of the U.S. Attorney's Office when Jenkins’ case was prosecuted.
“This is not appropriate for a pardon given how egregious the conduct was, and there is no evidence it was a political prosecution,” he told the I-Team in December.
Facing prison after he was convicted, the I-Team asked Jenkins if he would apply for a pardon. He didn’t say a word.
But his attorneys did submit a pardon application, dated May 19, just a week before Trump granted it.
In a post on X, Ed Martin, now the Justice Department pardon attorney, said Jenkins’ pardon was the first he reviewed and approved.
Jenkins’ trial attorney did not return calls or emails. His appeal attorney said he could not comment.
Trump wrote in a Monday afternoon post on Truth Social that Jenkins was “dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.”
In the past, Jenkins said his strong support of the Second Amendment was why he was targeted.
Stanley Meador was the head of the FBI office that investigated the case. The I-Team also spoke with him after the verdict. We asked: Did anyone ever tell him to bring the case against Jenkins because he is a strong Second Amendment supporter?
“Absolutely not,” Meador replied.
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