25-07-2025
Two Waynesboro police officers indicted amid allegations they assaulted fellow cop
Two Waynesboro police officers have been indicted on felony charges by a special grand jury following an April incident that reportedly took place while both were on duty, according to a joint media release by the Waynesboro Police Department and the Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Cpl. Jacob W. Moore, 30, and Officer Joseph M. Meadows, 29, both face charges of assault and battery of a police officer and disarming a law enforcement officer of a firearm.
Details were limited, but Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney David Ledbetter said Moore and Meadows are accused of assaulting another Waynesboro police officer. All were on-duty at the time, he said.
The incident took place April 6 and was reported weeks later on April 25. Around that same timeframe, The News Leader reached out to Chief David Shaw of the Waynesboro Police Department, who said he could not discuss personnel matters.
"We are always committed to handling such issues quickly, with the appropriate confidentiality and due process," Shaw said in an email. "Should a matter warrant public disclosure, we will communicate through our usual channels, as we are always dedicated and focused on upholding the integrity and professionalism expected of our profession."
A press release said the incident took place between several officers on April 6 at an undisclosed location on the city's south end.
"As reported, it potentially violated the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. To ensure that a transparent and impartial investigation was completed, the Waynesboro Police Department requested an external investigation by the Virginia State Police and the Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. The accused officers were placed on administrative leave and had their police powers suspended pending the outcome of the investigation," the release said.
Moore has been with the department for seven years. Meadows has been employed there for less than two years. Both were arrested on July 21 and released on a personal recognizance bond, the release said.
Ledbetter said he will handle the prosecution. "I'm elected to prosecute the felony cases in Waynesboro, the hard ones and not simply just the popular ones," he said. "I do not intend to recuse myself at this time."
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This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Two Waynesboro police officers indicted by special grand jury
