Mississippi County sheriff pleads guilty to wire fraud

ST. LOUIS � Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson, 35, of East Prairie, Missouri, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to illegally possessing and transferring the means of identification of others, in this case mobile telephone numbers, without lawful authority and in connection with the commission of the state felony crime of forgery.

Sentencing has been set for Feb. 28.

In his plea, Hutcheson admitted from April 2014 through March 2017, he devised a scheme to obtain hundreds of individual�s location data. The defendant submitted thousands of Securus LBS requests and obtained the location data of individual phone subscribers without valid legal authorization, and, often, without the consent or even knowledge of the targeted individual. The defendant obtained the location data of mobile telephone users, including law enforcement officers, personal associates and friends, as well as a judge, without required legal process or authorization. He would routinely upload false and fraudulent documents to the Securus LBS platform. The location information request was submitted using wire communications transmitted in interstate.

Hutcheson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on the wire fraud charge and not more than five years and a fine of $250,000 on the transfer of identification information charge. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges. As part of the plea, Hutcheson agreed to resign as sheriff not later than Nov. 24.

�Sheriff Hutcheson simply misused an important law enforcement tool for his own purposes and, as a result, invaded the privacy of hundreds without the appropriate legal process,� said U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley said in a news release Hutcheson �abused his power as sheriff.� Hawley added the plea agreement guarantees Hutcheson �will no longer be able to serve as a law enforcement officer in any capacity.�

Hawley said the plea agreement is part of a resolution of federal and state criminal and civil cases pending against Hutcheson.

Hutcheson apologized in a Facebook post for what he called �my lapse in judgment.�

He wrote, �I am truly sorry for the embarrassment and disappointment my actions have caused my family, my supporters and the people of Mississippi County.�

He said he pleaded guilty to two of the 27-count indictment against him.

�I was elected sheriff on a promise to rid our county of illegal drugs, and I sleep well knowing I worked nonstop to keep that promise,� he said.

He said he will resign his position as sheriff, effective at 5 p.m. Friday.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and was prosecuted in cooperation with the Missouri Attorney General�s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwen Carroll and Lindsey McClure-Hartman are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney�s Office.