JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — A former James City County police officer was sentenced to two years of probation for felony child abuse, according to James City County officials.
On May 22, 2024, Caleb Crawford was charged with malicious wounding, child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Crawford, who had been a JCCPD officer since August 2021, was indicted by a grand jury.
JCCPD said it was notified by Child Protective Services of injuries to a child related to Crawford on March 26.
Chief Mark Jamison immediately notified Virginia State Police and requested they investigate the matter, according to a statement from JCCPD.
Crawford was placed on administrative leave pending the resolution of the internal investigation, police said.
Watch previous coverage: James City Co. officer indicted on child abuse, malicious wounding charges
On Feb. 18, Crawford entered an Alford plea to a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse. Also known as a "best-interests plea," an Alford plea is a defendant's formal admission of guilt towards charges while also maintaining their innocence, according to Cornell Law School.
Crawford was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and two years of supervised visitation, according to officials.
Chief Jamison released a statement on Monday:
“We acknowledge the court’s action in this matter and appreciate the work of the investigative agencies throughout the process. Although the allegations involved conduct outside the scope of duty and the individual is no longer employed with the department, we recognize that any case involving our personnel can raise concerns within the community. We remain committed to transparency, cooperation with the appropriate authorities, and upholding the standards of professionalism and accountability that our community expects from its police department.”
JCCPD said it will continue to fully cooperate with Virginia State Police and other investigative authorities in the case.
