The sheriff of Iron County, Missouri (KMOV/Gray News), is a member of a group that has been indicted on various charges.
Sheriff Jeffery Burkett, Donald Rickie Gaston, Chase R. Bresnahan, and Matthew A. Cozad are currently facing charges, which include knowingly participating in criminal street gang activities, attempting to kidnap, stalking, misusing emergency telephone service, and unlawfully obtaining criminal history information.
Washington County 911 has a contract to manage emergency calls for Iron County.
According to the charging documents, in February, Gaston, who is 62 years of age, endeavored to seize his daughter following a dispute with the child’s mother.
The dispatchers in Washington County noted in the call log that Gaston was physically aggressive and responded to three deputies at home. Documents allege that there was a disturbance between Gaston and a woman in Iron County on the night of February 8.
The Iron County deputies reported that there were injuries and the parties involved were separated, including Bresnahan. The woman left her home with her children after the argument. The woman captured fighting them between Gaston and a recording of the argument, with a bottle of liquor worth approximately $50.
According to court records, the woman subsequently sought “safe shelter” at a family member’s residence to escape Gaston. Gaston adamantly denied entry to anyone at the house. The woman requested the assistance of Iron County sheriff’s deputies to accompany her when she returned to the residence the next day in order to retrieve her personal belongings.
Attempting to obtain a “stop and detain” on the lady and her automobile, they additionally sought to acquire a warrant for her apprehension. They were alleged of endeavoring to trace the woman by utilizing her mobile device signals, claiming that she was under the influence and a minor was harmed.
The woman was not taken into custody, so no apparent injuries were discovered. However, the sheriff dispatched deputies to conduct a well-being check and detain the woman in order to reunite the child with Gaston.
Burkett has pleaded not guilty and is currently being held on a $500,000 bond, but he will not be released without GPS monitoring. Furthermore, the judge stated that while the case is ongoing, Burkett is prohibited from serving as a sheriff or an officer. The bail amount for the remaining three individuals was set at $400,000 each.
The matter is being dealt with by the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The four individuals were apprehended on Thursday and handed over to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, as stated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Iron County is approximately one hour and 40 minutes to the south of St. Louis.
Burkett’s lawyer argued that the accusations are fueled by political intentions, following numerous attempts to remove the sheriff from his role.
Attorney Gabe Crocker stated, “This is a small town politics.” I believe that we should look forward to exposing the darker side of this story and sharing more of it.
According to the report by the Associated Press, Burkett, a Republican Party member, was chosen as sheriff in 2020 and previously worked as a deputy.
Last year, he was hospitalized for nearly four months, including time spent on a ventilator, as officials from the county office sought to remove him from his position. According to the department’s Facebook page, he eventually backed off, but not before spending considerable time in the hospital due to COVID-19.
According to the Facebook page, Burkett was briefly admitted to the hospital on March 10 due to persistent “symptoms and complications.” In the image captured after his arrest, his mug shot displays him with an oxygen tube attached to his nose.
The resident of Adams Garret said that it seems like nothing crazy is happening, but it’s actually quite wild. Each person here takes care of one another, and the people who live in this area are really good. Without a doubt, it’s not a good reflection of the people from this area.
In addition to the sheriff, there are merely six deputies as of Thursday, as stated by Burkett’s attorney. Two additional individuals serve as reserves, while three work part-time. However, the Iron County website reveals that the department has a total of 13 deputy positions. The number of deputies remaining to patrol the county is a matter of concern for the residents.
Crocker stated that he was unaware. Burkett’s lawyer inquired about the number that still existed and whether other organizations were taking over the responsibility of policing in light of the news announced on Thursday.
Copyright 2023 KMOV through Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this article.