Former Fairfax City, Virginia Mayor
Richard “Scott” Silverthorne on Monday pled guilty to charges he
agreed to provide illegal drugs in exchange for sex with other men.
After he pled guilty to one count of
distributing methamphetamine, Fairfax County Circuit Judge Grace
Burke Carroll ordered Silverthorne held in jail while he awaits
sentencing in June.
Undercover detectives arrested
Silverthorne, 50, in August after he allegedly attempted to exchange
methamphetamine for sex. Detectives set up the sting operation after
police received a tip in July that the mayor was exchanging drugs for
sex with men on an unidentified gay hookup website. Within a few
days, Silverthorne had agreed to meet with a man who was an
undercover detective, and even promised to bring along other men.
According to
The
Washington Post, a prosecutor on Monday identified the
site Silverthorne used as Bare Back Real Time.
The charges forced Silverthorne, who
was in his third term, to step down as mayor. Silverthorne served 18
years on the Fairfax City Council before running for mayor.
According to various reports, Silverthorne received a cancer
diagnosis, declared bankruptcy and a bank foreclosed on his house
prior to his arrest.