Trial date set for March 25
By Heather Michon
Correspondent
Fluvanna County Emergency Services Director James True was granted bond on Tuesday (Jan. 14), four days after his arrest on multiple misdemeanor counts of sexual assault.
General District Court Judge Theresa W. Carter set a secured bond of $10,000.
True stands accused of seven counts of misdemeanor sexual assault and two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery.
County Attorney Dan Whitten said in a press release on Saturday (Jan. 11) that the charges were filed by two female employees in the department who “filed initial crime reports with the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office, completed criminal complaints, and participated in probable cause hearings before the magistrate.”
One of the complainants is no longer with the county.
According to the charging documents, the first alleged sexual assault occurred in October 2023, six months after True was hired as director. The most recent alleged assault took place in July 2024.
True turned himself in to the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office on Friday (Jan. 10). He was taken into custody without incident and transported to Orange County Regional Jail pending the bond hearing.
True’s attorney, Andre Hakes, told Judge Carter the charges against him were made by two disgruntled employees and amounted to little more than allegations that “he hugged somebody wrong.”
She asked for a $5,000 bond, arguing that True had immediately turned himself in at the sheriff’s office when the warrants were issued and posed no flight risk.
Carter imposed a higher bond and ordered True not to contact anyone involved in the case. He was also ordered to stay at least 100 feet away from his accusers. She set a trial date of March 25.
True has been placed on administrative leave, and the county has announced that it will conduct an internal review.
On Thursday (Jan. 16), County Administrator Eric Dahl announced that Stephen E. Morris, a retired deputy fire chief from Harrisonburg, had been appointed interim director of emergency services.
