Former Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery in cash-for-badges scheme

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A former Virginia sheriff has been convicted on federal bribery charges for deputizing individuals in exchange for cash payments. The jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, convicted former Culpeper Sheriff Scott Jenkins on all counts Wednesday night after several hours of deliberations. News outlets report that Jenkins took the stand in his own defense and said there was no connection between the payments he received and the badges he handed out. Testimony against Jenkins included two undercover FBI agents who were sworn in as auxiliary deputies in 2022 and immediately thereafter gave Jenkins envelopes with $5,000 and $10,000 cash, respectively.