Former President Donald Trump has pardoned Scott Jenkins, the former Culpeper County Sheriff who was facing a 10-year federal prison sentence for bribery and corruption charges. Jenkins was convicted by a jury for accepting more than $100,000 in cash and checks from wealthy citizens in exchange for deputy badges.
The conviction was supported by substantial evidence, including undercover photos and videos showing Jenkins accepting payments. Six individuals who paid bribes to Jenkins had previously pleaded guilty and cooperated with authorities, strengthening the prosecution’s case against the former sheriff.
According to MSNBC, Trump announced the pardon on his Truth Social platform, declaring that “Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL.” Jenkins, who maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, claimed he was a victim of a weaponized Biden Justice Department and denied any connection between the payments and the issuance of deputy badges.
Pattern of high-profile pardons raises concerns about corruption
Following his pardon, Jenkins appeared on Steve Bannon’s “WarRoom” show, where he expressed gratitude to God for the president’s intervention. The public nature of both Jenkins’ lobbying efforts and Trump’s pardon announcement marks a departure from historical practices, where pardons were often issued quietly, particularly toward the end of presidential terms.
Trump’s busy pardoning corrupt public officials who took bribes
— Robert (@Robert76449676) May 28, 2025
This pardon follows a series of similar high-profile cases, including Paul Walczak, a former nursing home company executive who pleaded guilty to tax crimes in 2024. Notably, Walczak’s mother attended a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago, where she met with Trump personally, just three weeks before her son’s pardon was granted.
Trump has also recently indicated his intention to pardon Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are currently serving prison sentences for defrauding banks of over $36 million and tax evasion. Their daughter, Savannah, a Trump supporter who spoke at the Republican National Convention, personally visited the White House to request the pardon.
The trend extends to Trump’s own business ventures, as evidenced by a recent private dinner at his Sterling, Virginia, country club for buyers of his cryptocurrency, $TRUMP. The event generated $148 million for the Trump family crypto platform, with one attendee, Justin Sun, reportedly purchasing $18.5 million worth of tokens. This occurred while the SEC had paused an ongoing fraud case against Sun and his company, the Tron Foundation.
