A former Democratic Senate staffer and senior official at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is under fire after being arrested and charged with violently assaulting two women near a Virginia Metro station—and then being released on bond.
Jeffrey Gary, 35, was arrested on June 1 following a disturbing incident that took place on May 30 in Alexandria.
Police say Gary, who served as an assistant division chief at the FCC, attacked a woman near the Braddock Metro Station, wrestling her to the ground in an apparent attempt to restrain her.
He is facing multiple felony charges, including two counts of abduction with force, assault and battery and sexual battery.
The City of Alexandria announced his arrest in a press release, stating that Gary, a Fairfax County resident, was identified through surveillance footage and a coordinated investigation between the Alexandria Police Department and Metro Transit Police.
“Through the strategic use of technology, including APD Public Safety cameras, and close coordination with regional law enforcement partners, detectives were able to identify the suspect,” the statement said.
The alleged attack occurred around 9:41 p.m. as the victim, a woman in her mid-30s, was walking along Madison Street after exiting the Braddock Metro Station.
“He grabbed her and wrestled her to the ground, attempting to restrain her,” officials said.
The woman managed to fight back and flee the scene, calling 911 immediately.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant the next morning with assistance from Fairfax County Police and took Gary into custody without incident.
Officials confirmed no weapon was used in the assault.
Gary remained in custody until June 13, when he was released after posting four bonds totaling $14,000.
Alexandria Circuit Court Judge Katie Uston approved his release under several conditions, including house arrest with GPS ankle monitoring, mental health and substance abuse evaluations and a prohibition from entering the Braddock Road and Potomac Yard Metro areas.
Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said his office strongly opposed the decision to grant bail and has filed an appeal.
“We do not agree with the court’s ruling on bail and are appealing it to the Court of Appeals,” Porter told ALXnow. “While the defendant is presumed innocent and a charge is not proof of guilt, we are limited in what we can publicly say while the case is ongoing.”
The FCC confirmed Gary’s termination.
“Upon hearing of this disturbing incident, we took immediate action against this employee,” the agency told The Daily Caller. “His employment with the agency has been terminated.”
Prior to his FCC role, Gary held Democratic political ties, working briefly as a staff assistant for Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) in 2015 and later serving as a law clerk for Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) between 2017 and 2018.
He also founded Gary Consulting, a private firm listed in OpenSecrets records.
Gary is scheduled to appear in court again on July 7 and is being represented by a public defender.
Neither Cantwell nor Wyden responded to requests for comment. The Alexandria Public Defender’s Office likewise did not respond.
