Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump issued a pardon Monday for a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted last year on federal bribery charges that avoided the official's jail.
“Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia and their family are dragged into hell,” Trump posted online. “He won't go to jail tomorrow, but will have a wonderful and productive life.”
Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff, was convicted by a jury for receiving more than $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing an auxiliary deputy sheriff in the area about two hours outside Washington, D.C.
In March, Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
According to court documents and evidence at the trial, bribes came from several people in the form of campaign, in exchange, they were sworn in as deputy sheriff and obtained badges and certificates.
“The bribe payers have not received training or review, nor have they provided any legal services to the sheriff's office,” the Justice Department said at the time.
Since his conviction, Jenkins has called directly to the Trump administration for relief. “I believe in the president,” Jenkins said in April during a webinar chaired by the Association of Constitutional and Peace Officials, according to Washington's NBC4 branch.
Jenkins refers to Trump saying: “I believe if he hears the message, I know if he knows my story, he will help.”
Trump called Jenkins “a fanatic Biden Department of Justice victim” in his online post when he issued the pardon.
Top Justice Department officials who announced Jenkins' conviction last year did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The latest pardon comes after Trump’s January pardon, where nearly everyone is accused of attending the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a February pardon for the former Democratic governor of Illinois, who was convicted of trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former President Barack Obama and others.
(Reported by Bo Ericksonediting by Rod Nickel)
