U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh | U.S. Department of Justice
A former sheriff from Culpeper County, Virginia, has been found guilty of accepting over $75,000 in bribes. The verdict was delivered by a jury in Charlottesville. Scott Howard Jenkins, aged 53, was convicted for taking cash and campaign contributions as bribes from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, James Metcalf, and others. In exchange for these bribes, Jenkins appointed the individuals as auxiliary deputy sheriffs and provided them with official badges and credentials.
The court documents revealed that these appointees were neither trained nor vetted and did not perform any legitimate duties for the Sheriff's Office. Additionally, Jenkins attempted to influence local officials to approve a petition falsely claiming that Rahim resided in Culpeper County to restore his firearm rights.
Jenkins faces multiple charges including one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. His sentencing is scheduled for March 31, 2025. The potential penalties include up to five years for conspiracy, 20 years for each count of honest services fraud, and 10 years for each bribery count.
Co-defendants Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf have already pleaded guilty to their involvement in the scheme and await sentencing.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri; and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Richmond Field Office's Charlottesville Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith along with Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng from the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
