A former Virginia House of Delegates representative from Campbell County received bond Thursday morning after his arrest over the weekend.
Matt Fariss, 55, who represented Virginia’s 59th House District for a 12-year stint and left office in January after losing a re-election bid for a redistricted seat, was arrested Sunday and booked into the Amherst County Adult Detention Center, according to jail records.
Fariss, who was present in court Thursday standing next to his attorney Chuck Felmlee in an orange jumpsuit with family in attendance, is charged with one felony count each of possession of a Schedule I or II drug and possession of a gun on person with a Schedule I or II drug; and one misdemeanor count of violating a protective order.
He also faces three traffic infractions: improper taillights, failure to display license plates and failure to obey highway marking.
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Felmlee said his client has no prior criminal record and is a cattle farmer. The charges, the attorney said, stem from a traffic stop in Campbell County, where Fariss was driving his truck and towing a trailer with farm supplies.
Fariss was pulled over because the lights were not working on his trailer, Felmlee said.
In court, Felmlee said officers found a hunting rifle in the passenger side of the truck and in his back pocket, there was a small rag found with suspected drugs.
Nelson County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Erik Laub, specially appointed to work the case, said a field test was conducted and the drugs tested positive as methamphetamine.
Fariss was found not guilty March 5 of felony malicious wounding and hit and run during a day-long trial in Campbell Circuit Court. A protective order was filed against Fariss from that incident by Julie Miles, which Felmlee said was in the process of being dissolved but wasn’t at the time of the traffic stop.
A protective order in Virginia prohibits the subject from being in possession of a firearm.
Felmlee said “it sounds worse” than it is. Laub said the circumstances surrounding Fariss’s arrest did not involve any violence.
Judge Stephanie Maddox granted Fariss a $5,000 secured bond. Fariss is ordered to pay $500 for release and be subject to random alcohol and drug screenings.
His next court date is set for 9 a.m. June 4, according to court records.
Rodney Robinson Jr., (434) 385-5554