Sentencing date set for former Mississippi County sheriff

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- A sentencing date has been set for former Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson.

Hutcheson will be sentenced April 29 in St. Louis on federal charges of wire fraud and for illegally possessing and transferring the means of identification of others without lawful authority and in connection with the commission of felony forgery.

The former sheriff pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 20 and agreed to resign as part of the plea. Federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss 26 other counts. Hutcheson resigned effective Nov. 23.

Hutcheson, 35, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud and not more than five years and a fine of $250,000 on the identity theft charge.

Hutcheson was a longtime deputy in Mississippi County. He was elected sheriff in November 2016 and took office in January 2017.

Hutcheson still faces unrelated charges in state court including robbery and assault.