Former Republican Lawmaker Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Charges

A former Republican Virginia state lawmaker has pleaded guilty to felony gun and drug charges, according to a local report.
Matt Fariss, 56, admitted to meth possession and having a firearm while possessing an illegal drug in Campbell Circuit Court on Wednesday, the Lynchburg News & Advance reported.
Farris had served in Virginia’s House of Delegates as a Republican since 2012 before leaving office in January after running an unsuccessful reelection campaign as an independent last year.
In March, Fariss was acquitted in a separate case of felony hit-and-run and malicious wounding charges after he was accused last year of hitting his ex-girlfriend with his car following an argument. He was instead convicted of a less serious charge of improper driving and ordered to pay a $500 fine.
A Nelson County prosecutor, Erik Laub, said at Fariss’ plea hearing on Wednesday that a Campbell County sheriff’s deputy pulled over Fariss for traffic violations on March 23.
The deputy noticed a hunting rifle in Fariss’ car, and when he was searched a bag of meth was found, Laub said.
When asked about the gun, Fariss said he works on a farm, according to Laub.
A protective order was filed against Fariss in relation to the improper driving incident. Chuck Felmlee, Fariss’ lawyer, said the order was in the process of being dissolved but wasn’t at the time of the March 23 traffic stop. Fariss was prohibited from possessing a firearm under the protective order.
Laub dropped a misdemeanor charge of violating a protective order since the order was in the process of being dissolved at the time of the traffic stop, the prosecutor said.
Fariss was sentenced to three years in prison by Judge Dennis Lee Hupp, a retired judge from Shenandoah County, the News & Advance reported. However, Hupp suspended all but 20 days, allowing Fariss to be released Wednesday due to time served.
Felmlee said that his client already served 22 days in jail. Fariss’ bond was revoked in late October, according to court records. He has been in jail from then until his plea hearing.
Felmlee said that his client’s bond was revoked because he tested positive for meth before turning himself into the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.
“I understand you’ve been a contributing member of this community for some time,” Hupp told Fariss on Wednesday. “It’s just really sad for me to see this has come about.”
Farris will be on unsupervised probation for five years, Hupp said, according to the News & Advance. Fariss has also lost the right to hold statewide public office in Virginia and cannot own or possess firearms.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.