Former Virginia jail deputy sentenced to 6 1/2 years for sex trafficking, drug smuggling

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A former sheriff’s deputy at a northern Virginia jail was sentenced Wednesday to 6 1/2 years in prison for smuggling drugs into the jail and operating a sex trafficking ring from a Baltimore apartment.

Court records show Robert T. Sanford Jr., 37, worked night shifts at the Fairfax County jail as a corrections officer from 2021 to 2023. 

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Sanford Jr. smuggled drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine, and a phone to an inmate for distribution among other inmates. 

Sanford also provided inside information about internal investigations to the inmate, like whether deputies would be conducting strip searches, and where drug-sniffing dogs were being utilized. Officials say he also tipped the inmate off about inmates cooperating with law enforcement, leading to their intimidation.

Prosecutors revealed that outside his role as a corrections officer, Sanford trafficked women and supplied them with drugs. "There is a significant distinction between one who merely solicits escorts or uses drugs to relieve stress and escape, and one who provides housing and drugs to opioid-dependent and homeless women in exchange for sexual acts and financial gain," prosecutors said.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, stated that Sanford "preyed on the vulnerabilities of people in his care. 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 sentence, issued in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, aligns with the prosecution’s request and exceeds the 4-year sentence sought by Sanford’s public defender. Sanford apologized for his actions in a letter to the judge.

"I will continue attending therapy to ensure I remain on the right path," he wrote. "I deeply regret my actions and the harm they caused."

Sanford's lawyer said mental health issues contributed to his misconduct.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.