Mississippi County Sheriff releases statement through his attorney

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Nearly one week after being arrested on 18 charges, Mississippi County sheriff Cory Hutcheson has released a statement through his lawyer stating his innocence.

In an e-mailed statement from N. Scott Rosenblum, an attorney from Clayton, Mo., Hutcheson thanked everyone for the tremendous support he has received from the community.

"We are confident once the facts come out, the prosecution of Sheriff Hutcheson will be shown to be misguided and politically motivated," that statement said. "Sheriff Hutcheson will enter a plea of not guilty, and he looks forward to addressing these charges in Court. The Sheriff is looking forward to continuing his work and dedicating himself to the citizens of Mississippi County."

Hutcheson, who was elected sheriff in November and took office in January, was arrested on 18 counts, including an allegation that he handcuffed a 77-year-old woman with so much force that she suffered a heart attack.

According to the probable cause statement written by T.S. Craig of the Missouri Highway Patrol, on March 24, Hutcheson entered a beauty shop in East Prairie to pick up a paycheck for his sister-in-law. The sister-in-law had been accused of taking property belonging to the business and the shop owner was holding the check until the property was returned.

The sheriff approached 77-year-old Bonnie Woods, an employee and sister of the shop owner, and demanded the paycheck, threatening arrest if she refused. When Woods refused, Hutcheson allegedly grabbed her wrist and handcuffed her with enough force it caused her to bleed. He then allegedly grabbed her other arm hard enough to cause "significant bruising." Hutcheson then grabbed the check, took off the handcuff and left.

Woods then felt chest pains and was taken to a local hospital where it was determined she had a heart attack. She was hospitalized for three days.

Later on March 24, Hutcheson submitted an affidavit to the county prosecutor seeking assault and kidnapping charges against Woods, alleging the sister-in-law was held against her will when she tried to pick up her final paycheck. Craig wrote that witnesses said the sister-in-law was neither assaulted nor kidnapped.

Hutcheson was also charged with 15 counts resulting from crimes when he was a deputy in 2014. The charges, seven counts each of forgery and tampering with computer data along with one count of notary misconduct, came from allegations he "pinged" cellphones of then-Sheriff Keith Moore, Circuit Court Judge David Dolan and five highway patrol officials.

The FBI and Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Hutcheson on April 5 and he was briefly jailed in Cape Girardeau County before being released on $75,000 bond.

Currently Hutcheson is handling only administrative duties after Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Drew Juden suspended Hutcheson's peace-officer license Thursday. Mississippi County Chief Deputy Branden Caid is handling all duties dealing with criminal matters.