'Pathetic': Trump slammed for pardoning Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery charges

President Donald Trump granted a pardon to Scott Jenkins, a former sheriff from Culpeper County, Virginia, who had been convicted on federal bribery charges and sentenced to a decade in prison.

Jenkins had been scheduled to begin serving his sentence on Tuesday.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, announcing his decision, Trump wrote: "Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ."

READ MORE: 'Graceless soulless ghoul': JD Vance buried over comment about Biden’s cancer diagnosis

"In fact, during his trial, when Sheriff Jenkins tried to offer exculpatory evidence to support himself, the Biden Judge, Robert Ballou, refused to allow it, shut him down, and then went on a tirade," the president added.

Social media users reacted to the development, saying the decision does not bode well for the rule of law.

A Richmond-based journalist posted on the social platform X: "Should the residents of Henrico County need to be on the look out because there's another Trump pardoned criminal walking the streets?"

"I’m so f------ sick of the GOP acting as though they are saintly, God-fearing, law abiding citizens," wrote a user.

"Oh look, another CRIMINAL pardoned by Trump. Guess law and order doesn’t matter if you are a MAGA supporter. Funny how they cry and scream about 'illegal' criminals. But white criminals that support Trump just all so happen to be innocent and keep getting pardons. Pathetic," tweeted another user.

READ MORE: A veteran tells Trump 'to go straight to hell'

"This is how police corruption breeds into a gestapo. In exchange, he'll expect full compliance and loyalty for whatever crimes he wants committed. This is fascism 101," said a user reacting to the news.

But supporters of Trump's Make American Great Again (MAGA) movement supported the decision.

"Thank you, President Trump, for pardoning Innocent Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins! Another victim of the evil Biden regime! He will NOT be going to jail tomorrow, but instead will have a wonderful and productive life!" wrote a pro-Trump X account.

Trump has frequently claimed — without providing evidence — that he and other conservatives have been unfairly targeted by a politically motivated Justice Department under the Biden administration.

READ MORE: 'Bloviating felonious buffoon': Trump buried for attacking Taylor Swift on social media

Since returning to office, he has granted numerous pardons to high-profile and contentious individuals.

Those pardoned by the president include the majority of those convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, as well as Michele Fiore, a right-wing commentator and former Las Vegas City Council member convicted of wire fraud.