Looking into the candidates

Rob Humphreys / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: April 4, 2008

These days, the legal troubles of elected officials and community leaders has been a topic of much discussion.
As part of our coverage on the upcoming Town Council election, the Star-Exponent researched Culpeper County's online records for each candidate. And while we have no interest in reporting insignificant details like minor traffic violations, certain citations warrant public knowledge - with context and input from the candidates. The rest is up to the voters.

Of the 11 council candidates, we found two who have misdemeanor convictions in Culpeper (Virginia's online courts database can only be searched by county and is extremely cumbersome):
1) Frank Reaves Jr. was convicted in Circuit Court March 13, 1991, of misdemeanor concealing stolen property and sentenced to 80 hours of community service.
2) Bobby Ryan, former vice mayor, was found guilty of DUI on Aug. 12, 2004.

 FRANK REAVES JR.: According to the indictment portion of his plea agreement, "On or about the 20th day of August, 1990 … Frank Reaves, Jr. did unlawfully and feloniously aid in concealing two firearms, knowing the firearms were stolen."
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Walther, who prosecuted the case under former Commonwealth's Attorney John C. Bennett, reduced the charge to misdemeanor petit larceny.

The arrest warrant states that the firearms were stolen from the home of Roscoe H. Ford, a former town police officer who died in 2006.

Reaves spoke on the matter when the Star-Exponent's editorial board broached the subject during his interview last month.
Reaves said his sister, who was Ford's girlfriend at the time, sold the guns to his wife, who then presented them to Reaves as a gift.

What Reaves said he didn't know at the time was that Roscoe and his sister "had gotten mad" at each other and the guns still belonged to Ford.

"I got involved with a bad situation," Reaves said. "I got caught up in something I should have never been caught up in. It hurts me."

Reaves said Ford did not want to pursue the case but that "the commonwealth's attorney wouldn't let it go."

When contacted by the Star-Exponent last month, Walther and Bennett vaguely remembered the case and had nothing but praise for Reaves, who now works part-time in the courthouse for the Sheriff's Office.

Both prosecutors made it clear that Reaves is a fine deputy and recalled that the nature of his involvement in the case did not warrant a harsh penalty.

According to a court document dated June 14, 1991, Reaves paid court costs of $83.95 and completed his community service June 2, 1991.

His case manager, Beverly J. Baker, wrote that Reaves "performed these hours at Moore Golf Park for the Little League Program, and with Mike Showalter of the Culpeper Police Department with the Rocketry Program for youth. Mr. Reaves has met intensive supervision and has been very cooperative throughout his diversion."

At the time of his arrest, Reaves was working as a guard at Camp 11, the former prison on Orange Road operated in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Transportation.
As punishment, Reaves said he served a 40-hour suspension from Camp 11.

  BOBBY RYAN: The Star-Exponent found that Ryan, who served on council from 1994 to 2002, has one misdemeanor DUI conviction in General District Court.

He paid a $250 fine and $166 in court costs for the offense, which occurred June 30, 2004.

"I was embarrassed at the time, and I'm still embarrassed by it," Ryan said. "But I don't think it affects my ability to be a council member."

Ryan's license was suspended for one year.

Rob Humphreys is managing editor of the Star-Exponent. He can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 128 or