When a Virginia resident is charged with a crime, they may feel helpless and may not be aware of all of their options. It is important that they know that being charged with a crime does not necessarily mean that they will be found guilty on a criminal conviction. When facing criminal charges, it is a good idea to have a solid criminal defense in place to get the best possible outcome. In many instances, prosecutors may drop charges and the accused will have the chance to move forward with his or her life.
This was recently the case for a Virginia sheriff’s deputy. In November 2013, the deputy faced two charges of forcible sodomy and two counts of aggravated sexual battery for the alleged of assault two young people under the age of 18. Interestingly, the alleged incidents occurred about 30 years ago, so the deputy was only 12 or 13 years old when the incidents supposedly took place. According to police, the two youths were in his care at the time.
Prosecutors, however, dropped all charges after talking to the victims and other investigators. A judge in Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court gave the final authorization to drop the charges.
Life has not gone back to normal quite yet for the sheriff’s deputy, though. The 42-year-old worked in court security for over 15 years and was suspended from work during the investigation. There will be an administrative review to determine whether the man will be able to go back to work. With these charges in his rearview mirror, the sheriff’s deputy may soon be able to resume his normal life.
Source: The Virginian-Pilot, “Va. Beach drops charges against Chesapeake deputy,” Elisabeth Hulette, April 9, 2014
