Scott Jenkins, a former Sheriff of Culpeper County, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a buy-a-badge scheme where individuals paid him to be appointed auxiliary deputy sheriff in his department.
According to evidence presented by federal prosecutors, Jenkins accepted over $75,000 in bribes from multiple individuals, including businessmen from Northern Virginia, who received official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials, despite lacking proper training, vetting, or any legitimate duties within the Sheriff’s Office.
Jenkins was charged along with three co-conspirators: Rick Rahim, Frederic Gumbinner, and James Metcalf. All three previously pled guilty for their roles in the scheme.
One of the co-conspirators, Rick Rahim, a 60-year-old from Great Falls, admitted meeting Jenkins in 2019 and expressing a desire to have his firearms rights restored and to become an auxiliary deputy, despite being a convicted felon.
Rahim confessed to giving Jenkins tens of thousands of dollars and detailed a rental scheme that helped him get his gun rights restored. Rahim also admitted he was involved in facilitating a similar deal for Gumbinner, a Fairfax attorney.
Jenkins was the only one of the four defendants who chose a jury trial, which resulted in a guilty verdict on all counts. Despite the guilty verdict and the testimonies of his co-conspirators, Jenkins has steadfastly maintained his innocence. For example, he testified at trial that the money he received from Rahim was a business loan including, a venture where he planned sell “Make Virginia Great Again” again to appeal to Trump supporters.
In arguing for leniency in sentencing, Jenkins cited several reasons, year including his years battling obesity and high blood pressure. He said his poor physical and mental health, were exacerbated by the stress of this case.
He also suggested he was targeted because of controversial stances he had as Sheriff, including his involvement with border security and open opposition to the Biden administration’s border policies. Jenkins further argued that his involvement in discussions about investigating Hunter Biden’s laptop shortly before his indictment suggested a politically motivated prosecution.
In December 2024, 53-year-old Jenkins was convicted of all the charges against him, including on one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
During the proceedings, Jenkins emphasized his decades-long career in law enforcement, noting that he is a Culpeper native and began serving the community after high school.
WATCH:
Beating Charges for Guns @ Gloucester School Board Meeting
Follow the Watchful Eye on X, Facebook, Instagram , Rumble & YouTube to keep up with what’s happening in Virginia
