Federal bribery trial against former Culpeper County sheriff delayed

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The federal trial against former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins was delayed for one day because of an unexpected medical issue.

Potential jurors, the judge and attorneys from both sides were in the courtroom but Jenkins was nowhere to be found because he, “developed a medical condition.”

The trial, which could last up to two weeks, will resume at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Judge Robert Ballou’s clerk.

Jenkins is charged with one county of conspiracy, four counts of honest services mail and wire fraud and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Jenkins, who lost his reelection in 2023, is accused of accepting $72,000 in cash bribes for badges under the auxiliary sheriff’s deputy program. According to court documents, the buyers were promised badges, ID’s, the ability to carry in all states without a concealed carry permit and request a “professional courtesy” to avoid a ticket if they were pulled over in the county.  

"The evidence will prove that, for years, Jenkins engaged in a corrupt scheme to enrich himself and to fund his-re-election campaigns through bribery, in a breach of his duties of honestly and loyalty to the people of Culpeper County,” a court filing by the federal government earlier this month stated.

“The government will present witness testimony, corroborated by emails and text messages, bank records, local government records, campaign finance records, photographs, and other documentary evidence, as well as tangible items such as badges, credentials, and firearms,” the government said.

WUSA9 has reached out to Jenkins and attorneys for comment but haven’t heard back.

Court documents say the scheming began in 2011 when Jenkins was employed with the Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office. He met with an unnamed Northern Virginia businessman who not only contributed money to him but became the main middleman that connected Jenkins to wealthy buyers or “money guys.”

That same unnamed businessman started to cooperate with the FBI by agreeing to record meeting with Jenkins using audio and video recording devices.

In late 2022, the informant connected Jenkins to two undercover FBI agents who gave cash, which allegedly were not included in the campaign finance filing.

Jenkins allegedly asked the information to fabricate paperwork to the state to cover up the recent donations by giving guns to appear they were firearms transfers instead.

While Jenkins pled not guilty, three co-defendants have pled guilty including Rick Rahim, Frederic Gumbinner and James Metcalf. They are expected to testify in the trial.

The court documents said Jenkins helped Rahim lie that he was a county resident, pressured court officials and illegally met requirements to restore Rahim’s gun rights despite prior non-violent convictions.

In further detail, Jenkins allegedly arranged for Rahim to enter a purposed lease agreement to rent a bedroom in a farmhouse that belongs to his brother, although Rahim never stepped foot inside the farmhouse nor made any rent payments.

As someone with a prior conviction, Rahim couldn’t be an auxiliary deputy although that requirement could be waived by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

Instead of filing for a waiver, Jenkins allegedly issued Rahim with a “helicopter unit” badge even the sheriff’s office doesn’t have a helicopter.

Jenkins claimed to have found a “loophole” to help swear Rahim in, per the court documents.