In a speedy hearing this morning in Albemarle County Circuit Court, Supervisor Christopher Dumler, charged with one count of forcible sodomy, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of sexual battery, a misdemeanor.
Shortly after the 27-year-old Scottsville Democrat was arrested last October, he announced that he planned to plead not guilty to the felony charges, and promised to offer a “vigorous defense.”
With a plea agreement with Judge William Barkley and special prosecutor Jeff Haislip, Dumler will serve 30 days in jail. If the regional jail accepts his request, he will do his time on weekends beginning March 8.
The agreement also states that Dumler must be on good behavior for the next two years, with no further charges.
Haislip confirmed that an investigation is ongoing regarding a second accuser who came forward last week. He and defense attorney Andrew Sneathern both declined to answer when asked if the new accusations affected the plea bargain.
In a statement provided shortly after the hearing, Dumler said he will not let the plea affect his position on the Board of Supervisors.
“One of the reasons I took this plea was so I could get right back to work for the people of the Scottsville District,” he said. “This plea in no way precludes me from continuing to serve, and I look forward to getting back to the work of the Board and the citizens who elected me to represent their interests.”