Jeff Burkett, the 46-year-old sheriff of Iron County in Missouri, and two deputies, Matthew Cozad, and Chase Bresnahan, have been charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, and criminal street gang activity for attempting to help Donald Gaston kidnap his daughter following an argument with her mother.
According to the documents by KSDK, the father and deputies first called 911 in February to have the mother arrested, then put a “stop and hold” on her record and tracked the mother and daughter’s locations via their cell phones.
The sheriff allegedly told the dispatcher that the mother was intoxicated and that she had kidnapped her injured daughter while a man’s voice seemed to be telling the sheriff what to say.
Gabe Crocker, Burkett’s lawyer, alleges the charges are politically motivated. Burkett, Gaston, Bresnahan, and Cozad have all been charged with participating in gang activities and conspiracy, as well as Burkett and Gaston receiving additional charges including attempted kidnapping, stalking, and making a false report.
Bresnahan and Burkett have been charged with obtaining under a false pretense criminal history record information and also misusing 911, and Cozad has been charged with being an accessory to stalking.
Burkett is being held on a $500,000 bond, and the other three are being held on $400,000 bonds.