On Monday, President Trump announced on his “Truth Social” platform that he has granted a full and unconditional pardon to former Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins, overturning his original 10-year federal prison sentence. Trump stated that Jenkins, along with his wife Patricia and family, had endured hellish torment and that the former sheriff should not spend a day in jail. As the President of the United States, Trump believed it was necessary to end his unfair sentence and grant Jenkins a complete and unconditional pardon, ensuring he would not be sent to prison but instead have a fulfilling and productive life.
In his statement, Trump strongly criticized the previous administration’s prosecution and trial of Jenkins as “overzealous enforcement” and emphasized that Jenkins was a victim persecuted by an abuse of power. Trump pointed out that during the trial, when Jenkins attempted to present evidence favorable to himself, Judge Robert Ballou, appointed by Biden, not only refused to accept it but also interrupted and reacted vehemently in court. According to Trump, radical left or liberal judges have long ignored the basic norms of the Constitution and evidence law, deciding which evidence can be presented in court based on political ideology.
Jenkins, who previously served as the Sheriff of Culpeper County in Virginia, located about a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., was convicted by a federal jury last December of conspiracy, honest services fraud, bribery, and other charges, leading to a 10-year prison sentence in March of this year. Court records alleged that Jenkins had received over $75,000 in bribes between 2015 and 2023 and had provided the briber with the title of undersheriff and a badge. Jenkins denied the bribery charges, testifying in court that these appointments were made for legitimate purposes and not in exchange for money.
A staunch supporter of Trump, Jenkins had sought legal relief from the Trump administration multiple times since his conviction. In April of this year, he expressed his complete faith in President Trump during an online seminar hosted by the conservative group “Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA),” stating, “I absolutely believe in President Trump, and if he hears my story, he will surely help me.”
This pardon by Trump is part of a series of actions he has taken against political repression and judicial overreach. Since the beginning of 2025, Trump has pardoned almost all individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach and granted clemency to the former governor of Illinois who had been prosecuted by Democrats.
(Reference: Reuters)