Charlottesville, VA — A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, Scott Howard Jenkins, was convicted yesterday in federal court in Charlottesville for accepting more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing individuals to the position of auxiliary deputy sheriff.
Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, was found guilty by a jury of multiple charges, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery related to programs receiving federal funds. The charges stemmed from his involvement in a bribery scheme where he accepted both cash payments and campaign contributions from several individuals, including co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, along with at least five others, including two undercover FBI agents.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Jenkins, while serving as sheriff, appointed these bribe payors—who were not properly vetted or trained—as auxiliary deputy sheriffs. The appointments granted them official badges and credentials from the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office. However, these individuals never performed any legitimate law enforcement duties. In addition to the bribe scheme, Jenkins also pressured other local officials to approve a false petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm. The petition falsely claimed that Rahim resided in Culpeper County, a claim that was untrue.
Jenkins faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the fraud charges and up to 10 years for each bribery charge. The sentencing is scheduled for March 31, 2025, and a federal district court judge will determine the final sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf had previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the bribery scheme and will also be sentenced at a later date.
