Indicted Frederick County sheriff reinstates himself to 'full-duty' status

BALTIMORE - Indicted Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins announced his return to full-duty status more than four months after he took his administrative leave of absence after he was charged with helping a gun shop owner acquire machine guns.

Jenkins is facing charges of conspiracy and making false statements in an effort to acquire machine guns, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of Maryland.  

Jenkins took his leave of absence starting on April 14, 2023.

In a memo for Honorable Jessica Fitzwater, the Frederick County Executive and Frederick County Council, Jenkins wrote "Effective immediately, I am formally ending my administrative leave of absence that began on April 14, 2023, pursuant to my letter dated April 13, 2023. I am resuming full duties as head of the agency including management and oversight of the day-to-day operations and all administrative and signatory responsibilities. Please direct all future correspondence to me."

Jenkins said that since his leave of absence was self-imposed, "there is no reason not to return to full duty at this point."

The sheriff said it was time to resume his full responsibilities and obligations as the Sheriff of Frederick County.

"My routine duties include the management of day-to-day operations, all administrative and management functions, and signatory obligations as the head of the agency," Jenkins said. "As a reminder, the Office of the Sheriff is the only law enforcement officer mentioned in our state constitution and is the chief law enforcement office of the county. Maryland's constitution calls for an elected Sheriff for each county. As it stands, I am still the elected Sheriff of Frederick County, and I am the only law enforcement officer directly accountable to the voting public."

Jenkins and Robert Krop, who owns a gun range called The Machine Gun Nest near Frederick, Maryland, were indicted as co-conspirators in April. The federal grand jury indictment alleges the two conspired to unlawfully acquire machine guns and "defraud the United States."

The indictment said Jenkins used his office's letterhead to help Krop obtain machine guns to rent out through his business.

The two men allegedly aimed to defraud "namely the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, an agency of the United States, by interfering with and obstructing the lawful government functions of the ATF to limit the purchase, sale, transfer, and importation of machineguns for purchase by or demonstration for military and law enforcement agencies," according to the charging documents.

The conspiracy began in or before August 2015 and continued through May 2022, according to the charging documents.

The two men allegedly falsified multiple documents on the Frederick County Sheriff's Office letterhead requesting machine guns for evaluation and demonstration to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, state officials said.

Krops reportedly drafted the documents for Jenkins to sign, according to authorities.

There was an understanding between the two men that they would not demonstrate the machine guns for the  Frederick County Sheriff's Office. Instead, the machine guns were used by Krop as rental guns for his business customers, state officials said.

The duo allegedly traded support for Krop's business in exchange for political support for Jenkins, according to authorities.

Jenkins' legal team argued on the grounds of disparate evidence, saying there was nothing to show motive on the sheriff's part or how he benefitted from anything.

Additionally, the legal team cited Jenkins' interview with ATF agents regarding the charges. They said the interview may prove problematic for Krop in the eyes of the jury.

Jenkins, who is serving his fifth term as Frederick County Sheriff, was ordered to surrender his guns, including his service pistols.

According to our media partner at The Baltimore Banner, The Frederick News-Post reported in June that Jenkins was still taking part in some job duties.

If convicted of their alleged crimes, Jenkins and Krop will face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison each for the conspiracy, for false statements in records maintained by a federal firearms licensee, and for false statements to federal law enforcement, state officials said.

Krop also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a machine gun, according to authorities.