BALTIMORE, MD – Frederick County Sheriff Charles Austin Jenkins, 66, of Thurmont, and gun dealer Robert Justin Krop, 36, of Frederick, are facing federal charges in a scheme to illegally acquire machineguns, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday. The pair allegedly conspired for nearly seven years, falsifying official documents to bypass regulations and line Krop’s pockets.
According to a federal grand jury indictment, the scheme ran from August 2015 through May 2022. Jenkins, Sheriff of Frederick County since 2006 and recently re-elected in 2022, allegedly signed off on fraudulent requests for machineguns on Frederick County Sheriff’s Office letterhead. These requests claimed the weapons were needed for evaluation and demonstration purposes, a claim prosecutors say was knowingly false.
Robert Krop, the principal owner and operator of firearms businesses in Frederick County, drafted the deceptive documents, the indictment alleges. Krop’s businesses held Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs), allowing them to possess and deal in machineguns under specific circumstances. But the machineguns weren’t destined for law enforcement use; they were intended for rental to Krop’s paying customers, investigators claim. Krop is also accused of illegally possessing seven machineguns.
The indictment further alleges a quid pro quo: Krop’s business provided political support to Jenkins in exchange for the Sheriff’s cooperation. This suggests a calculated effort to exploit Jenkins’ position of authority to benefit Krop’s business, circumventing federal firearms laws in the process. The ATF’s Baltimore Field Division led the investigation.
Both Jenkins and Krop are charged with conspiracy and making false statements. If convicted, they each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for those charges. Krop additionally faces up to ten years behind bars for unlawful possession of a machinegun. Prosecutors Christine Goo and Leo Wise are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is not a conviction. Jenkins and Krop are presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial. However, the charges paint a disturbing picture of alleged abuse of power and a blatant disregard for federal firearms regulations. U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF for their work on the investigation, signaling a commitment to cracking down on illegal gun trafficking and public corruption within Maryland.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Press Release
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