Sheriff C.T. Woody, who recently won a second term as the city's top elected law enforcement officer, is under investigation after a deputy accused him of sexual battery, Style Weekly has learned.
Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Herring confirms that his office has referred the investigation to an out-of-town judge, who has appointed a special prosecutor outside the Richmond area to investigate.
Two sources confirmed details of the allegations to Style, including the deputy making the allegations, formerly a sergeant who'd been with the sheriff's recruiting department.
The woman alleges that Woody fondled and forcibly kissed her while she was in his employment, according to a close friend of the woman who is also a former deputy. She has since been transferred to the John Marshall Courts building, where she works as a security officer, according to sources with the jail and city.
“Everybody knows about this at the jail — at the court,” says the former deputy. Other sheriff's deputies were called into a meeting shortly after the special prosecutor was named for a briefing on the matter, she says: “It's no secret.”
“He called her into the office and he grabbed her and he forcefully kissed her twice on the mouth,” the deputy says of the allegations.
Woody, a former detective with the Richmond Police Department, is something of a legend in local law enforcement circles. But this isn't his first brush with controversy since taking office four years ago.
A spate of lawsuits alleging racial bias were settled during the past two years, with Woody making undisclosed payouts in those cases.
Earlier this year, Style detailed drastic cutbacks in prescription medications being provided to inmates with HIV/AIDS or mental illness, and allegations by former jail medical staff that Woody had sharply curtailed medical services to inmates.
Woody won re-election to his post Nov. 3.
Update: Woody tells CBS6 that there is “no truth” to the allegations.