The former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, Scott Howard Jenkins, has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for accepting bribes exceeding $75,000. These bribes were exchanged for appointing several Northern Virginia businessmen as auxiliary deputy sheriffs.
Jenkins, 53, was convicted by a jury in December 2024 on multiple charges: one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee commented on the case: “Scott Jenkins violated his oath of office and the faith the citizens of Culpeper County placed in him when he engaged in a cash-for-badges scheme.” He emphasized that elected law enforcement officials are held to higher standards and that misuse of authority for personal gain will lead to accountability by the Department of Justice. Lee expressed gratitude towards the FBI for their investigative efforts.
Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, stated: “Every law enforcement officer takes an oath to serve and protect the community-- that includes following the law they’ve sworn to uphold. I am proud of the diligent work our investigative team did on this case to bring Jenkins to justice.”
Court documents revealed that Jenkins accepted cash bribes and campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, James Metcalf, and others including two undercover FBI agents. In return for these bribes, Jenkins appointed them as auxiliary deputy sheriffs without proper training or vetting.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf have admitted guilt regarding their involvement in this conspiracy.
Further evidence showed Jenkins exerted pressure on local officials to approve a petition falsely stating Rahim's residency in Culpeper County with an aim to restore his firearm possession rights despite Rahim being a convicted felon.
The prosecution team included Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith from the Western District of Virginia along with Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng from the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN).