A Mississippi County case involving its sheriff closely mirrors a procedure underway in Texas County.
In spring 2017, the officeholder, Cory Hutcheson, was charged with numerous crimes and the Missouri attorney general’s office later filed a “quo warranto,” saying he was unable to fulfill the obligations of the office. Filed in May 2017, the matter is still ongoing in circuit court.
Attorney General Josh Hawley said then that his office had not used the procedure in perhaps two decades.
In the Mississippi County case, the sheriff also had his peace officer license immediately suspended, and the chief deputy was named the acting sheriff. He remains in the post.
Prosecutors allege Hutcheson was using other people’s mobile telephone numbers to commit forgery. He also faces charges of first-degree robbery and making a false declaration in state court.
The false declaration case alleges Hutcheson forged affidavits to ping the cellphones of five law enforcement officers, former Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore and Judge David Dolan in 2014.