Richard “Scott” Silverthorne, the former Democratic mayor of Fairfax City, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing drugs this week, the Washington Post reports.
50-year-old Silverthorne’s legal troubles began last summer when he was arrested and charged for felony distribution of meth, as well as misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, following a sting operation in a hotel parking lot.
According to police, after receiving an anonymous tip, detectives connected with Silverthorne through the gay dating website Bare Back Real Time last July. During their exchanges, the mayor promised “a group sexual encounter” with the men in exchange for hard drugs.
Related: Virginia Mayor Richard Silverthorne Arrested For Exchanging Meth For Sex With Men
Two undercover officers met Silverthorne in a Crowne Plaza Hotel parking lot last August. After Silverthorne accepted about two grams of meth valued at $200, the cops whipped out their badges and arrested him. As a result, he was forced to resign as mayor and he had to give up his job as a substitute teacher.
According to the Washington Post, now that he’s pled guilty, Silverthorne faces up to 40 years in prison; however, because he is a first-time offender with a long record of public service, but his lawyers believe his sentence will likely be less than two years.
“The facts were such that it would have been futile to go to trial,” Silverthorne’s attorney, Brian Drummond, said after the hearing. “The statute for distribution in Virginia is very broad, and he is at the lower end of the spectrum. He is guilty of the transaction, but he didn’t get any money for it.”
This is likely a “you get the hotel room, I’ll bring the stuff” situation, which many feel is a gross overreach of the justice system.
The judge ordered Silverthorne to be held in custody until his sentencing on June 9.
Related: Let’s take a peek back at this year’s weirdest political sex scandals
ChrisK
Ridiculous charge. Two grams is not selling. The guys been through enough.
DCguy
Look at how the criminal justice system cares FAR less if people are hurt, than in regulating sex or drugs.
The Stanford RAPIST got 6 months for attacking and violating a passed out woman. This guy could get 40 years for $200.00 worth of drugs brought to a consensual sexual encounter??
ChrisK
Yeah, can you believe this?… “The judge ordered Silverthorne to be held in custody until his sentencing on June 9”.
I’m kind of thinking politics are involved here. A republican judge looking for down the road opportunities.
dustashed
I’ll give the dissenting opinion that all drug charges should carry maximum sentences. Consensual or otherwise.
It’s a menace that needs to be purged
dwes09
You probably own stock in for-profit prison facilities.
DCguy
Please provide any details. Why would a person with $200.00 worth of drugs deserve 80 times more jail time than somebody who raped a passed out woman?
FnameLname
Curious if he were straight would he have been slapped on the wrist and sent to rehab. In fact most first time trouble with the law minor drug offenses due wind up getting reduced and result in sending the offender to treatment. For him to sit in jail until June is unheard of unless he has priors or a vicious history which I doubt is the case. Something is seriously wrong with our justice system when non violent drug offenses are keeping men in jail longer than serious violent offenses. The new administration is even raising eyebrows at marijuana federal laws and getting excited at all the potential money that is to be made through fines and increasing the prison population, now that so many prisons are owned by for profit corporations.
trusgold
sex and drugs what a great way to get HIV+
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