Former Mayor of Fairfax City, VA Held After Pleading Guilty in Meth-for-Sex Case

R. Scott Silverthorne, the gay former mayor of Fairfax, Virginia, is being held in jail after pleading guilty in a meth-for-sex case, the Washington Blade reports.

Onlookers were “startled” at Circuit Court Judge Grace Burke Carroll's order to hold Silverthorne in custody until sentencing, according to the paper. Silverthorne was arrested last August in an undercover sting.

The Fairfax County Police Department reported:

In late July, the Organized Crime and Narcotics (OCN) Division received information about a possible distributor of methamphetamine and immediately began an investigative inquiry. Methamphetamine is listed as a Schedule II controlled substance by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.  Based on information obtained during the investigation, a suspect was identified who was allegedly distributing methamphetamine through a website used to arrange for casual sexual encounters between men.

An undercover detective created a profile on this website and within a few days, the suspect made contact through the website. After the initial exchange, the suspect communicated via text messaging. During the course of communication, the suspect advised that he could provide methamphetamine for sexual encounters. Undercover detectives agreed to meet the suspect for a group sexual encounter in exchange for methamphetamine. The suspect arranged to bring methamphetamine along with other men to the engagement.

On Thursday, August 4, the Street Crimes Unit (part of the Organized Crime and Narcotics Division) met the suspect at the Crowne Plaza Hotel located at 1960 Chain Bridge Road in Tysons Corner. The initial suspect was identified as Richard “Scott” Silverthorne, 50, of Fairfax. Silverthorne provided methamphetamine to the undercover detectives and was subsequently arrested and charged with felony distribution of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Silverthorne holds the office of Mayor of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, and is also employed as a substitute teacher for the Fairfax County Public Schools.

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Two additional men were also arrested after they were identified as Silverthorne's suppliers. They are Juan Jose Fernandez, 34, and Caustin Lee McLaughlin, 21, both of Maryland.

Silverthorne's sentencing is scheduled for June.