Criminal case against Rock Church pastor is ‘sound’ but no new charges will be sought, prosecutor says

A special prosecutor asked to investigate whether prostitution-related charges should be re-filed against a Virginia Beach megachurch pastor has decided not to seek an indictment, according to a document filed Thursday with the Chesterfield County Circuit Court.

Brunswick County Commonwealth’s Attorney Bill Blaine wrote in a five-page letter to the court that while he believes the evidence police gathered against Rock Church senior pastor John Blanchard is “sound,” he doesn’t consider it appropriate to re-file the case after Blanchard already had been offered a deal by the Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office — and had lived up to his end of the bargain.

Blanchard, 53, was one of 17 men arrested during an October 2021 police sting at a motel in Chesterfield County. Police said an undercover officer posing as a 17-year-old prostitute had been communicating with the men through text messages and arranged to meet them. Each was arrested after they arrived at the motel and charged with felony solicitation of prostitution. Those who drove also were charged with using a vehicle to promote prostitution.

While most were fully prosecuted, charges against Blanchard and one other were withdrawn last year without explanation from prosecutors.

Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney Stacey Davenport, however, announced in January she’d received new evidence that could lead to the case being reopened. Emails between Davenport and the county’s police chief indicated the evidence was a video tape, but what information it contained hasn’t been revealed.

Davenport — a Republican who’s been widely criticized for her handling of the case — decided to recuse herself at that time. The county’s chief Circuit Court judge appointed Blaine in February to serve as special prosecutor.

Davenport declined to comment Thursday on Blaine’s decision. Blanchard’s lawyer, Richmond attorney Noel Brooks, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Blaine wrote in his letter to the court that while the new evidence might help bolster the prosecution’s case, it’s not enough to justify reopening it.

“At the time of the email plea discussions (between Chesterfield prosecutors and Blanchard’s lawyer), the government already had a case against Defendant. The (Chesterfield County Police Department) built a sound case,” Blaine wrote.

“The government — well within the bounds of its discretion — essentially took the matter under advisement and allowed Defendant to submit to counseling (indeed to specialized counseling) from more than one counselor while the case was continued on the docket. Defense counsel provided multiple reports to the Commonwealth demonstrating that the Defendant was apparently perfectly compliant with all counseling with all counselors as was requested of him…Defendant did honor his half of the unwritten plea agreement.”

As to what recourse is left for those angered by how the case turned out, Blaine wrote that’s up to the voters of Chesterfield County to decide.

“In this case, the government got it’s bite of the apple,” the prosecutor wrote. “If enough people are not satisfied with a particular outcome, there are political remedies to change members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Indeed, in every decision I make, for example, on plea agreements in Brunswick, I have to consider whether that decision can be defended as fairly representing justice especially if it might not be the politically popular decision with the voters. Such is the nature of elected prosecutors.”

Davenport was first elected in 2019 and is seeking re-election this year. She faces Republican challenger Thomas McKenna in the county’s June 20 primary.

Chesterfield County Police Chief Jeffrey Katz wrote in an emailed statement Thursday he was pleased with Blaine’s comments about his department’s work on the case.

“The Brunswick Commonwealth’s Attorney validated what I’ve publicly said all along — the Chesterfield County Police Department conducted a competent and compelling investigation,” Katz wrote. “This was never about politics — it was about standing up for men and women doing high-quality work on behalf of others.”

Former State Del. Tim Anderson, a Republican from Virginia Beach who’s been especially critical of Davenport’s handling of the case, said he chose to speak out because he believed Blanchard got special treatment.

“The Commonwealth Attorney in Chesterfield County has always maintained the reason (for withdrawing Blanchard’s charges) was due to a lack of evidence,” Anderson wrote in an email. “Through FOIA, I discovered that statements of a lack of evidence were untrue, and now, reconfirmed in the report of the special prosecutor, is that truthful reason was that John Blanchard was offered a “deal” to go through sex offender therapy treatment in exchange for dismissal of the charges. We further know that such a deal was not offered to any of the other 16 charged in this police sting.”

Anderson said he also was pleased to hear Blaine describe the police department’s work on the case as sound.

“The Chesterfield Police Department did their job correctly here,” Anderson wrote. “To continue to maintain otherwise, still to this day, is simply a poor smoke and mirror tactic to distract from the ultimate reason ‘why’ did John Blanchard get a deal that no one else was offered? I do not believe we will ever know why.”

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com