My question involves expungements or pardons for the state of: Virginia

In december of 2000 i was convicted of a simple misdomenor possetion in Fairfax County VA (VA 18.2-250 simple possetion under one half oz of marijuanna ). However i was arrested on felony charges for possetion with intent to distribute. I was 19 years old when i was arrested and am now 28 years old and have completely straightened out my life. Since then i have not used at all and have not been in any trouble with the law in any way. I consider myself a upstanding member of society and have in the past 2 years decided that i would like to become a police officer. I completed Basic Law Enforcement Training (B.L.E.T.) here in N.C. and was almost about to be employed by a law enforcement agency in this state. The day i was supposed to start i had the chief sit me down and tell me that i was unable to be certified by the state due to my arrest, not the disposition of the case.

Now i am fully aware that since i plead guilty i am not eligable for a expungement, however i have been told that if i apply for a simple pardon that it will not aid me at all because they will still see the arrest however it will only say pardoned on it.

Is there anyone out there that has any ideas as of what i should do. I would like to some day become a detective and this is deffinately a part of my life that i am ashamed of. I was only 19 years old and to be quite honest i was immature and hanging out with the wrong people. I just want to be there for people and be a great police officer. I graduated top in my class and have a love for law and the ideas and principles that this country was founded on. I am just asking to be forgiven for what i had done. It has almost been 10 years since my arrest date and have had this hanging over my head.

Does anyone out there have any ideas. Please i am despeate as my certifiability only lasts another 10 months. If i have to go back through BLET again that is fine but i wont do it with this still on my record. If there is any way please let me know.