A police sting operation has resulted in the arrest of a 67-year-old Petersburg sheriff's deputy accused of trying to have sex with underage girls, authorities announced Wednesday.
Cpl. Vernard Bailey, a 27-year veteran of the Petersburg Sheriff's Office, was arrested Tuesday after authorities say he attempted to engage in sex acts with a young girl through an adult cooperating with police, said Petersburg Commonwealth's Attorney Cassandra Conover.
"There was an adult he was using to help him solicit and get the underage girl," Conover said. "No children were involved. The charges are attempted because he wasn't able to complete the acts, because it was an undercover operation."
Authorities set up the sting after receiving information about Bailey from a concerned citizen, Conover said.
According to arrest warrants on file in Petersburg Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Bailey was charged with attempted forcible sodomy of a child under 13, attempting to propose sexual intercourse with a child under 15, attempting to commit rape by having sexual intercourse with a child under 13 and solicitation of a prostitute. Authorities said all of the offenses occurred Tuesday.
Petersburg Sheriff Vanessa R. Crawford said Bailey was terminated Wednesday after she learned of the charges and confirmed that Bailey had confessed to police.
Crawford said Bailey supervised inmates inside and outside of the jail on work details. The sheriff said "surprised" would be an understatement in describing her reaction to Bailey's arrest.
Police said a search of Bailey's home in the 20700 block of Little Road in Chesterfield County revealed further evidence supporting the charges; they didn't elaborate. In addition, investigators confiscated more than 55 firearms of various calibers "for public safety concerns," police said.
"When you have a person who is working for law enforcement, who has these kinds of charges and now who has lost their job, you have a concern as to whether or not this person might be a threat to himself or others," Conover said.
In court papers filed with the warrants, Bailey, who worked for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. before joining the sheriff's office, told authorities he plans to hire his own attorney.
Bailey is being held without bond in the Brunswick County Jail pending a bond hearing March 28.
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