Former sheriff’s deputy gets jail time for bringing drugs to an inmate

A former Fairfax County deputy was sentenced in federal court to 78 months in prison for bringing drugs to an inmate at the Adult Detention Center and to sex traffic victims.  

According to court documents, Robert Theodore Sanford Jr., 37, was a correctional officer from May 2021 to June 21, 2023.

During that time, he conspired to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, Suboxone, a cell phone, and confidential law-enforcement information to an inmate in exchange for bribe payments.

Sanford also supplied latex gloves and glue to the inmate to help conceal the contraband. The inmate then trafficked the drugs to other inmates. Outside the jail, Sanford procured drugs from the inmate’s associates.

He also distributed drugs to prostitutes in an apartment he rented for his own financial gain and sexual gratification.

“Robert Sanford preyed on the vulnerabilities of people in his care,” said Jessica Aber, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His corruption didn’t stop with profiting from feeding the addictions of inmates in his charge. Rather than assisting homeless and addicted members of his community, Sanford used drugs to entrap them in a life of prostitution for his own gain.”

The confidential information Sanford provided to the inmate included advance warning of cell searches by deputies, cell blocks to which deputies were conducting searches, whether deputies would be conducting strip searches, and where drug-sniffing dogs were being deployed.

Sanford also provided the inmate with the names of other inmates who might be providing information to law enforcement. The co-conspirator used that information to intimidate potential witnesses.

On May 4, 2023, sheriff’s deputies at the Adult Detention Center conducted a strip search of Sanford’s co-conspirator. They found in his long underwear a cellphone, two charging cables, one portable cellular phone charger, one USB charging brick, 92 counterfeit oxycodone pills, 174 strips of Suboxone, and over three grams of cocaine.

The following day, Sanford was informed of the seizure during roll call. He then removed his cash tag name and personal email address from the CashApp account he used to receive bribe payments and deleted messages to the inmate.

Two weeks later, Sanford began the process of resigning from his job, falsely claiming he needed to resign due to childcare challenges.

“Robert Sanford violated his oath as a sworn law enforcement officer by distributing contraband, drugs, and confidential information to inmates,” said David Geist, acting special agent at the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Additionally, he placed the lives of inmates and his law enforcement peers in danger. Sanford threatened the security of the community and abused the public trust.”

Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid said, “This criminal conduct within the Adult Detention Center is unacceptable and we will relentlessly pursue those who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain.”