POTOSI, Mo. — On Wednesday, the sheriff of Iron County, Missouri, along with two deputies and a citizen, appeared in a Washington County courtroom.
They're all charged in an alleged parental kidnapping plot.
The Washington County Judge on the bench for the bond reduction hearing called the three law enforcement officers potential dangers to the victim and society, but he still reduced their bonds by hundreds of thousands of dollars based on their low income.
Iron County Sheriff Jeff Burkett’s bond was initially set at $500,000, but was reduced to $250,000.
Deputy Chase Bresnahan and Deputy Matt Cozad had their bonds reduced from $400,000 to $150,000.
However, the defense attorneys in this case believe investigators missed an important fact that could clear their clients.
“There’s just simply nothing there,” said defense attorney Gabe Crocker. “A lot of opinion, not a lot of fact.”
Burkett, Bresnahan, Cozad and Iron County resident Rick Gaston are accused of participating with a scheme to kidnap a child from their mother, who was at a Jefferson County Sheriff’s captain’s home.
“We’re going to dig into all of these facts as we continue our analysis of the evidence or what I’ve been referring to as a lack of evidence,” said Crocker.
Crocker refers to the case that way because he believes the probable cause statement is problematic since it fails to mention that there was an active court order between Gaston and the alleged victim dating back to May of 2022, that he believes would’ve given the deputies legal standing.
“I certainly feel that it is a smoking gun,” said Crocker.
That’s why Crocker, and the two other defense attorneys in this case, hope to subpoena the investigator handling the case in an attempt to clear up why Burkett was charged with four felonies and four misdemeanor charges when only three misdemeanors and one felony were recommended.
"It's out of the ordinary to see such a drastic escalation in criminal charges so far above and beyond what the lead investigator on the case was even seeking,” said Crocker.
An attorney representing the alleged victim in this case testified her client felt like she was being hunted by the four men accused in this case.
All four defendants will be back in court for another bond reduction hearing Tuesday, March 28, at 10 a.m.