Gabriel A. “Gabe” Morgan, Sr. – Sheriff

Gabriel “Gabe” Morgan Sr. is serving his fifth four-year term as the Sheriff of Newport News. His first term of office began on January 1, 2006.

Sheriff Morgan is responsible for a budget which exceeds $15 million and a staff of more than 200 that provides a myriad of functions including the custody and care of more than 500 prisoners daily, the protection of our courts and judges, the service of court documents, and the enforcement of the laws of the Commonwealth. Sheriff Morgan also serves as the Executive Officer of the Courts.

Upon taking office, Sheriff Morgan immediately instituted significant policy changes that support his guiding principles of justice for all, service to others and abiding love for his community.

Sheriff Morgan serves on a number of boards and commissions throughout Hampton Roads. Most recently, in April 2021, he was named Chairman of the Riverside Health Systems board.

In 2007, The Honorable Leroy R. Hassell, Sr., chief justice of the Virginia Supreme Court, appointed Sheriff Morgan to serve on the Commission for Mental Law Reform. As the subcommittee chair for Emergency and Temporary Detention Orders, the sheriff’s leadership led to major changes in the law.

Recognizing Sheriff Morgan’s commitment to service, then-Governor Timothy M. Kaine appointed Sheriff Morgan to the Inter-agency Civil Admission Advisory Council. Morgan was subsequently appointed by Governors McDonnell and McAuliffe to serve on the Commission on Mental Health Law Reform.

Sheriff Morgan co-chaired Governor-Elect Ralph Northam’s Policy Council on Mental Health. He chaired the Newport News Gang Reduction Task Force and he is charged with developing a comprehensive strategy to reduce youth violence in the city.

He currently serves on Christopher Newport University’s Board of Visitors.

He is a graduate of the University of the State of New York at Albany, the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and the Ninetieth Session of the National Sheriff’s Institute.

Prior to being elected Sheriff, Morgan served as Special Agent-in-Charge for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Investigative Services. His office was responsible for conducting criminal investigations including identity and vehicle-related frauds, motor vehicle dealer-related crimes, and the evasion of transportation related-taxes.

Sheriff Morgan served his country for more than 21 years in the U.S. Army. He entered the service as a private and remained enlisted through the rank of Staff Sergeant. He subsequently earned a commission through Officer Candidate School. Sheriff Morgan commanded the Area Confinement Facility at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

While in command of the confinement facility, he was credited for instituting vocational programs that employed the inmate population while saving the facility thousands of dollars. He was named the “Best Counter Terrorism Senior Program Manager (1997)” of all five services, by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Low-Intensity Conflict and Terrorism.

Morgan also served as the Provost Marshal of the Army Corps of Engineer, Trans-Atlantic Program Division. As Provost Marshal, Morgan supported both the European and the Central Command, providing security and intelligence for forward-deployed Defense and State Department elements. He was named the “Best Counterterrorism Senior Program Manager (1997)” of all five services by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Low-Intensity Conflict and Terrorism.

He served in many theaters including the Middle East, Africa, Bosnia, Croatia, Haiti, Korea and Europe. He culminated his career as the Information Systems Security Officer for the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command at Ft. Monroe, Virginia.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with four clusters and the Army Commendation Medal with seven clusters. He was also awarded the following Campaign Medals: Humanitarian Service with oak leaf, Southwest Asia, NATO – Yugoslavia Service, Liberation of Kuwait – issued by Kuwait, and Liberation of Kuwait – issued by Saudi Arabia.

Sheriff Morgan is a tireless advocate for children and is committed to helping maintain a great quality of life for all of the citizens of Newport News.