Iron County Sheriff, 3 others charged in relation to attempted kidnapping, street gang activity

IRON COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV) – The Iron County Sheriff is part of a group that was indicted on multiple charges.

Sheriff Jeffery Burkett, Donald Rickie Gaston, Chase R. Bresnahan, and Matthew A. Cozad are each facing multiple charges. Some of the charges include participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities, attempting kidnapping, stalking, misuse of emergency telephone service and unlawfully obtaining criminal history information.

Washington County 911 has an agreement to handle 911 calls for Iron County.

Court documents allege that on the night of Feb. 8, there was a disturbance between Gaston and a woman in Iron County. Washington County Dispatchers noted in the call log that Gaston was physically aggressive, and three deputies responded to the home.

A recording of the argument between Gaston and the woman captured them fighting about a $50 bottle of liquor. After the argument, the woman left the home with her children. The Iron County deputies, which included Bresnahan, reported that the parties had separated and there were no injuries reported.

The following day, the woman asked Iron County Sheriff’s Deputies to go with her back to the home so she could get personal items. Gaston refused to let anyone in the home. The woman then went to a relative’s home in Jefferson County to “seek safe refuge” from Gaston, court documents state.

On Feb. 10, Bresnahan submitted a warrant application to the Iron County Prosecuting Attorney for one count of first-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The prosecuting attorney denied criminal charges.

That same day, Burkett called Washington County 911 dispatch and requested a cellular phone “ping” to “check the well-being” after claiming a mother left the county with a child without notifying the father. He also allegedly stated the woman was intoxicated and the child had been injured. Gaston was reportedly with Burkett at the time of the call.

While phone pings were being tracked, Gaston called the 911 Dispatch center and said he was working with Burkett and was trying to reach him.

Court documents state Cozad asked Washington County 911 to request to locate vehicles registered to the woman. He also allegedly put a “stop and hold” on the woman and her vehicle.

While tracking cell phone pings, Burkett directed deputies to go to a home, detain the woman and get the child back to Gaston. Deputies were able to find the woman and her children. They did a well-being check and found no visible injuries. They did not take her into custody.

On Feb. 18, Bresnahan called Washington County 911 dispatch and requested to ping the woman’s phone. The request was denied because there was no active investigation. Bresnahan then contacted Verizon Wireless, who did the ping for the women’s phone and sent an email confirmation of the ping to his phone.

Burkett has pleaded not guilty. He is being held on a $500,000 bond but is not to be released without GPS monitoring. The judge also said he is not to serve as Sheriff or an officer while the case is pending. Bond for the other three was set at $400,000 each.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said all four men were arrested Thursday and turned over to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is handling the case.

• Charges against Burkett
  • Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities
  • Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years
  • Attempted kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury, terrorizing
  • Stalking, accessory to stalking
  • Obtaining criminal history record information under false pretense
  • Misusing 911
  • Making a false report
• Charges against Bresnahan
  • Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities
  • Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years(two counts)
  • Obtaining criminal history record information under false pretense
  • Misusing 911
  • Stalking(first- and second-degree)
• Charges against Gaston
  • Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities
  • Attempted parental kidnapping by detaining/concealing child’s whereabouts for 120 days or more
  • Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years
  • Stalking(first- and second-degree)
  • Making a false report
• Charges against Cozad
  • Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities
  • Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years(two counts)
  • Misusing 911
  • Accessory to stalking(first- and second-degree)

Iron County is about an hour and 40 minutes south of St. Louis.

“It’s wild, nothing like that happens to seem to happen around here so for that to happen is crazy,” Resident Garret Adams said.

“It’s very shocking, like he’s our sheriff he is supposed to protect us,” Katie Tiefenauer shared. “How is people supposed to trust the cops and let them do their job if that’s going to happen.

Burkett’s attorney said the charges are politically motivated, following several attempts to remove the sheriff from office.

Attorney Gabe Crocker told News 4, “This is small town politics.” In a statement he said: “My client and I look very forward to exposing the darker side of this story – then, and only then, should one form their opinion. There is much more to this story.”

“Definitely not a good reflection of the people from this area,” Adams shared. “Really good people live around here, takes care of each other.”

One concern residents told News 4 is just how many deputies are left to police the county. According to the Iron County website, the department has 13 deputy positions, but three are part-time, and two others are reserve. Burkett’s attorney said there are only six deputies as of March 16, plus the sheriff.

Residents News 4 spoke with said they feared there are only two after Thursday’s arrests.

We asked Burkett’s attorney how many remained, and if other agencies were stepping up to police in light of Thursday’s news. Crocker said he did not know.

“Iron County is run by a group of good ole’ boys,” Attorney Gabe Crocker explained on the phone. “Sheriff Burkett poses a serious threat to their unchecked authority and will continue to fight their ongoing two year attempt to remove him from office. I wonder what they are so afraid of him finding.”

“I’m surprised. I never expected this to happen,” Tiefenauer shared. “In a very small town like this, everyone here knows everyone so it’s very shocking.”

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