Stan G. Barry

Stanley G. 'Stan' Barry was the Sheriff of Fairfax County from 2000 to 2013.

Barry is one of three sons of Warren E. Barry and his wife Cheryl.

Barry joined the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office in 1979, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant.

In 1999, in accordance with a Fairfax County ordinance requiring county employees to either resign or take a leave of absence from their positions while seeking public office, Barry sought leave from his position to run for sheriff, which was denied by Sheriff Carl R. Peed in March. Barry filed his candidacy on May 1, 1999. Three days later, on May 3, Peed met with Barry in the Sheriff's office and demanded that Barry resign. When Barry refused, Peed fired Barry and had him escorted from the building.

Peed's firing of Barry was the opening salvo in a campaign that became increasingly bitter. Barry accused Peed of mismanagement stemming from an incident in which two inmates, Willie Capers Williams and Todd Hiney, escaped from the jail on May 28.

Peed fired back with a number of personal attacks, accusing Barry of lying about a 1980 drunken driving conviction and a 1997 speeding ticket and of committing forgery. Peed also brought up Barry's youthful misdemeanor record, which included a 1975 DWI conviction, a 1976 auto theft charge, and a 1979 trespassing arrest, all of which had been expunged.

Barry was elected to the office on November 2, 1999.

On November 2, 2002, Barry married the former Megan Eli Owen, a lobbyist with the firm of Reed Smith, in a ceremony officiated by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Jane Marum Roush.

Tragedy struck Barry on February 14, 2003, when his wife committed suicide at their Centreville home following an argument.

The November 4, 2003 election saw Barry returned to office over his opponent, James Aubrey Vickery.

In the election held on November 6, 2007, Barry was unopposed.

His third reelection campaign against Bill A. Cooper was successful, resulting in Barry being returned to the office on November 8, 2011.

On May 21, 2013, Barry submitted his resignation as Sheriff, effective July 1.