BALTIMORE – Prosecutors have dismissed a federal gun case against veteran Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins and his co-defendant, a local arms dealer named Robert Krop.

The feds accused the pair of conspiring to illegally acquire machine guns under false pretenses.

According to the Department of Justice, Jenkins signed official Sheriff’s Office letterheads that falsely claimed Krop organized firearms rallies for the agency.

This allegedly made it easier for Krop to obtain weapons and rent them for profit.

Ultimately, a jury acquitted Krop of all charges.

“From the beginning of this case as joint defendants, our office was aggressive in exposing the vexatious, frivolous and bad faith false charges that had been brought,” said Krop’s attorney, Dan Cox, a former Republican candidate for governor of Maryland.

Following Krop’s exoneration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office decided to dismiss all charges against Jenkins.

His attorney Andrea Smith, a former federal prosecutor in her own right, told WMAR that this “was never a case.”

“There was no evidence of a conspiracy – these men didn’t even know each other – and there was no evidence that the Sheriff knowingly did anything with the intent to violate the law. I kept asking for that evidence and the government never presented that,” Smith said.

The case itself has been ongoing for two and a half years, prompting Jenkins at one point to go on leave, even having to surrender his service weapon.

He would later return, defiantly regaining control of the Sheriff’s Office while denying the accusations against him.

FURTHER: Jenkins Regains Control of Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Despite Federal Indictment

“I’ve never doubted his innocence – he’s a hard-working, honest man who gets up every day and tries to do the right thing. He’s been through a lot and I’m so glad it’s finally over,” Smith said. .

The charges were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled at a later date.