Sephanie Brinegar Vipperman has announced she will seek reelecton as Commonwealth Attorney for Patrick County, VA. Mrs. Vipperman is 29 years old and has served as Assistant Commonwealth Attorney for Henry County.

Since being elected in 2007, my desire to be a prosecutor and serve the citizens of Patrick County has only intensified. My dream to be a prosecutor that started over 15 years ago has now turned into a dream to be a career prosecutor in Patrick County. Being part of the large group of people who protect our community every day is an honor and privilege that I cherish and appreciate. I love my job, and I love this county. I hope the citizens of Patrick County will allow me the opportunity to continue to serve them and make a difference in our county. One way I feel like I’ve made a difference already is through my attention to education. I developed an internship program that exposes college and law school students to the justice system. They learn skills that are necessary to successfully complete their office tasks, which in return help my over-worked staff. At least three of the students have already graduated and returned to the area to work and live fulltime. I also attend the area elementary schools’ career fairs to inform those students about what I do and what type of educational tract is required to become an attorney. Last year, with the help of my four summer interns, I introduced the first Citizens’ Academy in Patrick County. This academy was taught in four 2-hour sessions during June-July to anyone of any age. Those attending learned about the justice system from the time a crime is committed until the time a convict is released from jail/prison. I’m also proud of the collaborative efforts between my office and various other local agencies. With the cooperation of the Sheriff’s Office and Department of Social Services, I presently oversee the county’s first Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). This multi-disciplinary team meets monthly to routinely re-examine the protocol we established for handling such cases to ensure a compassionate response for the victim and a successful prosecution against the defendant. The additional grand juries that I have added to the calendar for the sole purpose of indicting drug dealers have also proven very beneficial. Of course, this wouldn’t be possible without the help of my staff, Susan Gasperini’s office and Sheriff Dan Smith’s office. With their assistance, we have presented over 250 indictments to these grand juries as well as seized over $15,000 in personal property, plus two recent real estate seizures that haven’t been auctioned yet. It wouldn’t be possible to be a successful prosecutor without this team effort day in and day out from everyone involved. These cooperating agencies all have my personal contact numbers, so I can be reached at any time to answer any questions they may have or to respond to a sexual assault or other serious crime. They know I am both available and approachable at all times. .