Federal prosecutors in St. Louis say a former southeast Missouri sheriff has been indicted on eleven felony counts of identity theft.
The U.S. Attorney’s office in St. Louis announced Tuesday’s federal indictment, saying former Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been released on bond.
The indictment alleges that Hutcheson illegally possessed and transferred mobile telephone numbers, in connection with a state forgery crime.
The 34-year-old Hutcheson, who lives in East Prairie, was charged in May 2017 in Mississippi County with seven counts of forgery.
U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen has issued a statement, saying: “This office will prosecute people who violate federal law regardless of their positions.”
Jensen says the case is being investigated by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley (R) successfully worked to oust Hutcheson in May, after those forgery charges were filed and after an inmate died in the Mississippi County Jail in Charleston.
Hawley has said that Sanders died after an altercation that Hutcheson was directly involved in, and that the death happened after Hutcheson’s license as sheriff had already been suspended.
Hawley and Hutcheson are both Republicans.
