Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins called himself the victim of a legal and political “assassination attempt” at a news conference Tuesday after federal prosecutors dismissed charges that he conspired to help a local gun store illegally obtain machine guns.

“It was a near miss,” Jenkins said, comparing himself to President-elect Donald Trump. “I was wounded and bloodied, but I never gave up the fight. I never will.”

The move came three weeks after a federal jury acquitted his co-defendant, Robert Krop, of all charges, and the judge overseeing the case asked prosecutors to determine whether to move forward against Jenkins.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Defense attorney Andrea Smith, who was a federal prosecutor in the Maryland office for 26 years, said she found the case against Jenkins so outrageous that she said she is investigating whether he can recover attorney’s fees under the Hyde Amendment, which requires a showing that someone has been the subject of a “vexatious, frivolous or bad faith” prosecution.

“They had no evidence in this case,” Smith said. “It was wrong from the start and I’m so happy it’s finally over.”

Jenkins, 68, a Republican, is serving his fifth term and has been an outspoken advocate on the issue of illegal immigration. He participated several White House events hosted by Trump. Jenkins was indicted by President Joe Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney Erek Barron. The deputy who brought the case, Assistant US Attorney Leo Wise, later left the Jenkins case to join the team prosecuting Hunter Biden.

Federal prosecutors obtained a grand jury indictment in April 2023 alleging that Jenkins used his position to improperly help the owner of the Krop gun store acquire machine guns to rent to the public by signing letters that said the Sheriff’s Office from Frederick County wanted to see a gun show. , which was false.

Machine Gun Nest made more than $100,000 in profits from machine gun rentals in 2018 and 2019, the indictment said.

Jenkins said he believes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives suspected he received kickbacks or “some sort of kickback,” which they could not determine after checking his bank accounts, e- emails and campaign contributions. He said he did not know Krop and had interacted with him “maybe twice.”

At Tuesday afternoon’s news conference, Jenkins pulled back his suit jacket and proudly displayed his service weapon on his hip. This was taken from him as a condition of his preventive release.

Jenkins initially took a leave of absence after the indictment, but later returned to work. He said he never intended to resign and was encouraged daily by supporters — and even detractors, he claimed — to fight the case and remain sheriff.

“I will do everything I can to protect this county,” he said.

Krop was acquitted on October 22. His attorney, Dan Cox, told the Frederick News-Post that “from the beginning, the evidence showed that there were no definitions for what (the government) was going after my client.”

Prosecutors and Jenkins’ lawyers wanted Krop to go to trial first, saying the case against him was stronger. Prosecutors noted early on that there was a “distinct possibility” they would drop the charges against Jenkins if Krop were acquitted.

Jenkins’ lawyers said he received nothing of value by signing the letters and had no intention of breaking the law. They said he sought to meet with federal prosecutors and was rebuffed.

“In the case, the defendant acknowledges and admits that he was negligent. Negligence is not criminal guilt,” they wrote in a filing.

Jenkins acknowledged other cases around the country where sheriffs have been accused of taking kickbacks for such gun shows. “I’m not that sheriff,” he said. “I’m not that person.”

When Jenkins reversed his decision to take a leave of absence, county leaders criticized him. County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, a Democrat, said in a statement that she was “disappointed that he went back on his word,” while County Board Vice Chair Kavonté Duckett, also a Democrat, said Jenkins “made a mockery of process”.

In an interview with a local radio station, Jenkins called the case “my cancer. This is my disease. I’m fighting for my life.”

Jenkins said Tuesday that the case against him made him question the power of the legal system.

“If you’re not really guilty, never give up,” he said.