Donald Trump announced on Monday that he had delivered unconditional forgiveness to an old Virginia Sheriff who was sentenced to federal fraud and corruption charges.
Scott Jenkins, 53, was the sheriff of County Culpeper in northern Virginia for 12 years, after being elected in 2011 and re -elected twice.
In 2024, a The jury found him guilty to have accepted more than $ 75,000 in bribes in exchange for the appointment of several virginia businessmen from the North as assistant assistant sheriffs within its office.
He was found guilty of a conspiracy chief, four counts of fraud of honest services and seven corruption chiefs concerning programs receiving federal funds.
In March 2025, Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
According to the prosecutors, Jenkins accepted bribes of at least eight people, including two FBI infiltration agents, in the form of cash and campaign contributions.
Prosecutors say he has issued badges and officials of official skills in return, allowing individuals to avoid traffic tickets and transport hidden firearms without a license.
Three people – Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner and James Metcalf – pleaded guilty to secondary roles in the case, the prosecutors saying that Jenkins had accepted them bribes.
In a post on Social truth Trump defended Jenkins on Monday calling him “victim of an overly zealous ministry of justice” during the presidency of Joe Biden. Trump said Jenkins “does not deserve to spend a single day in prison.”
Trump also criticized the judge who supervised the case, alleging that Jenkins had been prevented from presenting “supporting evidence” and was “closed” during the procedure.
After his conviction, Jenkins would have called directly on the Trump administration For leniency.
After promoting the newsletter
Jenkins only became the last person to be forgiven for Trump around the fourth month in his second presidency.
On the first day of Trump’s power, he forgiven or commissioned the punishments of around 1,500 people involved in the Attack of January 6, 2021 at the Congress, including some recognized guilty of violent offenses.
Since then, Trump has also expressed forgiveness to others Ross Ulbrichtthe founder of the illegal online drugs The Silk Road; And The former Democratic Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, which was found guilty of the federal corruption accusations, in particular by trying to sell an appointment to the siege of the US Senate left by the ascent of Barack Obama to the presidency in 2009.
In March, Trump forgive three Co-founders of Crypto-Monrs Exchange Bitmex, which pleaded guilty in 2022 to violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
