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Richard "Scott" Silverthorne, the mayor of the City of Fairfax, has been arrested after he allegedly gave methamphetamine to an undercover detective in exchange for a sexual encounter. USA TODAY
Richard "Scott" Silverthorne, mayor of Fairfax, Va., is shown in a booking photo following his arrested Aug. 4, 2016, on charges of distribution of methamphetamine.(Photo: Fairfax County PD)
The mayor of Fairfax, Va., a wealthy Washington suburb, was arrested on charges of distributing methamphetamines as part of an alleged "meth-for-sex" scheme,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Fairfax County Police said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Friday.
Mayor Richard "Scott" Silverthorne, 50, who is also a substitute teacher for Fairfax County public schools,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was arrested Thursday after he allegedly provided meth to undercover officers who met him at<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a local hotel, police said.
Two others, identified as<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the mayor's alleged suppliers, Juan Jose Fernandez, 34, and Caustin Lee McLaughlin, 21, both of Maryland,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>were<span style="color: Red;">*</span>also<span style="color: Red;">*</span>arrested outside the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>hotel and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>charged with meth distribution, police said.
Juan Mose Fernandez, left, and Caustin Lee McLaughlin, are shown in a Fairfax County, Va., booking photo following their arrest on Aug. 4, 2016, on charges of distributing methamphetamines.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Fairfax County Police)
The mayor<span style="color: Red;">*</span>did not resist arrest and cooperated with officers, police said, but McLaughlin was subdued with a Taser<span style="color: Red;">*</span>after he<span style="color: Red;">*</span>"physically resisted" his arrest, police said.
Silverthorne, who is serving his third term as mayor,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was charged with felony<span style="color: Red;">*</span>distribution of meth and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Silverthorne's bio on the official Fairfax city website states he is<span style="color: Red;">*</span>"a champion for quality of life issues."
In January, Silverthorne told The Washington Post<span style="color: Red;">*</span>that “it’s been a terrible year for me,” referring to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>financial and medical issues, the newspaper reports.
The Post says Silverthorne was laid off in June from his job<span style="color: Red;">*</span>as a director of recruitment with the National Association of Manufacturers and that a bank foreclosed on<span style="color: Red;">*</span>his house.
Capt. Jack Hardin, commander of the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>organized crime and narcotics division, told reporters that<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the investigation into the case began three weeks ago after a citizen tipped police that the mayor was allegedly<span style="color: Red;">*</span>distributing meth through a website used to arrange for casual sex between men.
Hardin said Silverthorne allegedly responded about two days after<span style="color: Red;">*</span>an undercover<span style="color: Red;">*</span>detective<span style="color: Red;">*</span>created a profile on the site<span style="color: Red;">*</span>based on information as to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>"what the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>mayor was looking for, the type of person, and activities."
In<span style="color: Red;">*</span>an exchange of texts,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Silverthorne<span style="color: Red;">*</span>then allegedly agreed to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>meet at a hotel in Virginia's Tysons Corner area allegedly to exchange meth for “a group sexual encounter,” police said.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Police alleged that he had distributed meth in this manner on at least two other occasions.
As part of the sting, the undercover officer was supposed to have made<span style="color: Red;">*</span>arrangements for a room inside the hotel after the meth was turned over<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in the parking lot outside.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Police said the alleged suppliers were running 20 minutes late and that Silverthorne allegedly got into a vehicle with the suppliers, then came back to the undercover officer and was arrested.
Police said a fourth man was questioned at the scene in connection with the case, but was not charged.
In 2009, Fairfax, a city of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>23,500 people<span style="color: Red;">*</span>about 20 miles west of Washington, D.C., was ranked No. 3 by<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Forbes<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in an article on<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the "Top 25 Places to Live Well."
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