Drugs Smuggled Into Fairfax Jail By Former Sheriff's Deputy: Report

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A former Fairfax County Sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to accepting bribes in exchange for providing drugs and other contraband to an inmate at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

From May 2021-to June 21, 2023, 37-year-old Robert Theodore Sanford Jr. worked as a correctional officer at the ADC.

Sanford admitted in court that he smuggled contraband into the ADC from January 2022, which included cellphone and distribution amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and Suboxone, according to court documents. The inmate who received the drugs then distributed them to other inmates. Sanford also provided latex gloves and glue to help the inmate conceal the contraband.

In addition, Sanford told the court that he smuggled in confidential, law-enforcement-sensitive information, which he gave to an inmate, according to court documents.

"Sanford provided the inmate with information such as advance warning of cell searches by deputies, cell blocks to which deputies were proceeding in those searches, whether deputies would be conducting strip searches, and where drug-sniffing dogs were being utilized," according to a U.S. Justice Department release. "Sanford also provided the inmate with information regarding other inmates, including which inmates might be providing information to law enforcement, which assisted Sanford’s co-conspirator in intimidating potential witnesses."

Not all of Sanford's illegal activities were confined to the ADC. He also admitted that he procured drugs from the inmate's associates and distributed drugs to women who prostituted themselves out of an apartment that Sanford leased.

During a May 4, 2023 strip search of Sanford's incarcerated co-conspirator, sheriff's deputies found 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 in the inmate's long underwear, according to court records.

After learning of the seizure during the next day's roll call, Sanford deleted his cash tag name and personal email from the CashApp account where he received the bribes connected to his smuggling activities, according to court documents. In addition, he ceased all contact with the inmate and other co-conspirators and deleted any message related to his illegal activities.

Within the next two weeks, Sanford began the process of resigning from the FCSO, citing childcare challenges as the reason for the decision, according to court records.

Sanford will remain in custody until his sentencing on Sept. 18, when he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of the two counts of conviction, according to court documents.