Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
- Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years for bribery and fraud after being convicted in March 2025.
- Trump justified the pardon, claiming Jenkins was a victim of an overzealous prosecution by the Biden administration.
- The pardon raises further questions about legal accountability and the influence of political support in judicial outcomes.
In the United States, President Donald Trump issued a pardon to Scott Jenkins, the former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, who was convicted of multiple federal bribery charges. Jenkins was sentenced to ten years in prison in March 2025 for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for granting business owners positions as auxiliary deputy sheriffs without proper vetting or training. The U.S. Justice Department had stated that Jenkins's actions constituted a violation of his oath of office and reflected a severe breach of public trust. He was found guilty by a jury in December 2024 on one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery, setting a troubling precedent for law enforcement accountability. His conviction was based on evidence presented by two undercover FBI agents who, while posing as auxiliary deputies, provided him with cash payments as part of the scheme. Following his sentencing, Jenkins maintained his innocence and believed he was wrongly convicted by what he described as an overzealous prosecution led by the Biden administration. He claimed that he was unable to present exculpatory evidence during his trial due to constraints imposed by Judge Robert Ballou, a Biden appointee. Jenkins used social media to appeal directly to Trump, expressing his hope that the president would hear his side of the story and intervene in his case. Trump's decision to grant Jenkins a full and unconditional pardon attracted significant attention, particularly as it reflected his ongoing support for individuals he views as victims of unjust legal battles orchestrated by the current administration. In his announcement, Trump emphasized that Jenkins and his family had been "dragged through HELL" by the Biden Justice Department and characterized Jenkins as a "wonderful person" who did not deserve to serve any time in jail as a result of his conviction. Consequently, this pardon not only released Jenkins from prison but also highlighted the often-contentious relationship between Trump's leadership and the judicial processes under the Biden administration.