A well-connected political consultant in Virginia with ties to the state's Democratic Party has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being convicted of child sexual abuse material possession and attempting to sexually abuse an undercover agent's purported child.
Randon Sprinkle, 31, of Richmond, received the sentence on Thursday from U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. The conviction stemmed from a May 2025 undercover operation conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Authorities stated that Sprinkle engaged with an undercover agent posing as the father of a 9-year-old boy through a dating app. During the investigation, Sprinkle allegedly sent the agent a video depicting child sexual abuse and expressed a desire to travel to Washington, D.C., to abuse the fictitious child. A subsequent search of his home uncovered dozens of files containing images of child sexual abuse.
Sprinkle held several prominent positions within Virginia's Democratic Party, including serving as the finance chairman for the Democratic Party of Virginia and treasurer for the Metro Richmond Area Young Democrats. He was also an elected delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. His political work included serving as a paid political director for Rep. Jennifer McClellan’s 2021 gubernatorial bid and as her former legislative aide when she was a state senator. He also worked for other state campaigns, including those of state Sen. Jennifer Boysko, and donated to statewide campaigns of Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi.
Public records and reporting show Sprinkle working alongside national Democratic figures, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Rep. Abigail Spanberger. Following Sprinkle's arrest, Spanberger's transition team released a statement commending the FBI and emphasizing her past experience as a federal law enforcement officer who prosecuted child predators. The campaign also announced it had donated the $1,000 Sprinkle had previously contributed to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The Metro Richmond Area Young Democrats confirmed they took immediate action to sever ties with Sprinkle following his initial indictment in December 2025, stating his alleged conduct was "reprehensible, unforgivable, and fundamentally misaligned with the values of our organization."
The Democratic Party of Virginia and the public defender representing Sprinkle did not immediately respond to requests for comment.