Marty Gordon, NRVsports@ourvalley.org
With the announcement Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt is retiring, her acting predecessor Patrick Jensen says he will seek the post permanently in this November’s special election.
Jensen is a career prosecutor with more than two decades of experience in criminal law and has served as Pettit’s chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney.
Jensen says he is seeking the office “with a commitment to maintaining public safety, ensuring equal justice under the law, and preserving the integrity and fairness of the criminal justice system for all residents of Montgomery County.”
Pettit, who will officially retire Aug. 1, named Jensen the interim commonwealth’s attorney once she leaves office.
“Mary has been both a mentor and a friend,” Jensen said. “It has been an honor to work alongside her for the past 20 years. Her leadership and dedication to public safety have had a lasting impact on Montgomery County.”
Jensen began his legal career in the City of Martinsville in 2003, where he advanced to the position of Deputy Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney before joining the City of Roanoke Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
In Jan. 2007, he joined the Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Throughout his career, Jensen points that he has successfully prosecuted thousands of criminal cases, ranging from routine offenses to complex and high-profile matters.
“Every case deserves careful consideration,” Jensen said. “My responsibility has always been to evaluate the facts, apply the law fairly, listen to law enforcement officers, consider the interests of victims, and seek outcomes that are just and appropriate.”
Since 2012, Jensen has served as Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for Montgomery County.
“In that role, I have helped manage and supervise the county’s largest law office while continuing to prosecute criminal cases and work closely with law enforcement agencies, victims, and community stakeholders,” he said.
A graduate of Virginia Tech and the University of Dayton School of Law, Jensen has called Montgomery County home since 2007 and has lived in the Town of Christiansburg since 2010. Jensen will seek the Republican nomination for the office.
However, he emphasized that partisan politics play no part in the decisions of a prosecutor.
“Throughout my career, I have worked for elected prosecutors from different political backgrounds, including an Independent, a Democrat, and Republicans,” Jensen said. “One lesson has remained constant: every case must be evaluated on the facts and the law, without passion, prejudice, or political influence.”
Jensen said his campaign will focus on continuing the office’s commitment to public safety, supporting victims of crime, working collaboratively with law enforcement, and ensuring that justice is administered fairly and consistently.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes and throughout our community,” Jensen said. “I have dedicated my career to that goal, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving the citizens of Montgomery County as their next Commonwealth’s Attorney.”
So far, Jensen is the only announced candidate. Whoever wins this November will have to run again in 2027 for the four-year term.
