Iron County Sheriff, 3 others arrested in criminal investigation

DES ARC, MO (WSIL) -- Four people have been arrested, including the Iron County Sheriff, as part of a special investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

All four were arrested on Thursday, March 16 by MSHP criminal investigators within its Division of Drug and Crime Control.

Of those arrested, the Associated Press reports one was a rural Missouri sheriff and two others were deputies. They are accused of helping a man in a parental kidnapping plot.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Jeffery L. Burkett, 46, of Des Arc, Mo. He was arrested in Iron County Thursday morning at 11 a.m. according to an online arrest report.

Burkett is the current Iron County Sheriff in Missouri.

Deputy Chase R. Bresnahan, 31, of Centerville, MO, Donald R. Gaston, 62, of Caledonia, MO, and Deputy Matthew A. Cozad, 39, of Bixby, MO, were also arrested.

WSIL News 3 reached out to Sheriff Burkett's attorney, Gabe Crocker with Crocker Law Firm. Here's what he tells us:

"These are politically motivated charges. There has been an ongoing attempt to remove Sheriff Burkett from office before he even took office." Crocker goes on to say, "These allegations involve an investigation conducted by the Iron County Sheriff's Office. I encourage all County residents to reserve judgement until they have heard both sides of this story."

"Iron County is run by a group of good ole' boys," says Crocker. "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."

When asked on the matter of Sheriff Burkett's arrest, Crocker also says, "This is a classic example of small town politics gone awry. My client and I look very forward to exposing the darker side of this story. Then, and only then, should one form their opinion," he says. "There is much more to this story."

All four individuals were booked in the Washington County Jail. Burkett has a cash only bond of $500,000 while Bresnahan, Gaston, and Cozad have a $400,000 bond.

Jeffery L. Burkett, 46, of Des Arc, MO, has been charged with the following:

• Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities (Class B Felony)
• Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years (Class C Felony)
• Attempted kidnapping, facilitating a felony, inflicting injury, terrorizing first degree (Class C felony)
• Accessory to stalking first degree, first offense (Class E felony)
• Stalking second degree, first offense (Class A misdemeanor)
• Obtain criminal history record information under false pretense (Class A misdemeanor)
• Misusing “911” (Class B misdemeanor)
• Making false report (Class B misdemeanor)

Online court records show a warrant was ordered for Burkett with probable cause and filed by Tony Dorsett.

Burkett pleaded not guilty in an initial arraignment hearing held on Thursday in Washington County. His next court date is a bond reduction hearing scheduled for March 22 at 10 a.m. in front of Judge Tony Dorsett at the Washington County Courthouse.

Chase R. Bresnahan, 31, of Centerville, MO, has been charged with the following:

• Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities (Class B Felony)
• Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years (Class C Felony)
• Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years (Class C Felony)
• Obtain criminal history record information under false pretense (Class A misdemeanor)
• Misusing “911” (Class B misdemeanor)
• Stalking first degree, first offense (Class E felony)
• Stalking second degree, first offense (Class A misdemeanor)

Bresnahan pleaded not guilty in an initial arraignment hearing held on Thursday in Washington County. His next court date is a bond reduction hearing scheduled for March 23 at 10 a.m. in front of Judge Tony Dorsett at the Washington County Courthouse.

Donald R. Gaston, 62, of Caledonia, MO, has been charged with the following:

• Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities (Class B felony)
• Attempted parental kidnapping by detain/conceal child’s whereabouts for 120 days or more (Class C felony)
• Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C/ felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years (Class C felony)
• Stalking first degree, first offense (Class E felony)
• Stalking second degree, first offense (Class A misdemeanor)
• Making false report (Class B misdemeanor)

Gaston pleaded not guilty in an initial arraignment hearing held on Thursday in Washington County. His next court date is a bond reduction hearing scheduled for March 22 at 10 a.m. in front of Judge Tony Dorsett at the Washington County Courthouse.

Matthew A. Cozad, 39, of Bixby, MO, has been charged with the following:

• Participating knowingly in criminal street gang activities (Class B Felony)
• Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years (Class C Felony)
• Conspiracy to commit class A/B/C felony or unclassified felony exceeding 10 years (Class C Felony)
• Misusing “911” (Class B misdemeanor)
• Accessory to stalking first degree, first offense (Class E felony)
• Accessory to stalking second degree, first offense (Class A misdemeanor)

Cozad pleaded not guilty in an initial arraignment hearing held on Thursday in Washington County. His next court date is a bond reduction hearing scheduled for March 22 at 10 a.m. in front of Judge Tony Dorsett at the Washington County Courthouse.

The Iron County Sheriff's website shows Jeff Burkett as the current Iron County Sheriff. The website said Burkett won the general election on November 3, 2020 as the new Sheriff for Iron County. He was sworn in on December 31, 2020.

This case is being prosecuted by Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Jones and Washington County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Caleb Aponte.

Anyone with information concerning this investigation should contact the Missouri Highway Patrol Criminal Investigative Unit at 573-840-9500.