Attorney General Hanaway Issues Statement On Temporary Removal Of St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Today, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway issued the following statement after the Court's decision to temporarily remove St. Louis City Sheriff Alfred Montgomery from office until his trial on November 18 in the ongoing quo warranto proceedings.

"Today's decision to remove Sheriff Montgomery from office until trial was the right call," said Attorney General Hanaway. "A sheriff under federal indictment, facing a quo warranto proceeding, and sitting in jail cannot credibly lead a law enforcement agency. My office will continue pressing the case to ensure the Court grants the quo at trial on November 18. The people of St. Louis deserve to have confidence that their law enforcement leadership is steady, capable, and worthy of the public's trust."

Earlier this year, the Missouri Attorney General's Office filed a quo warranto petition seeking to remove Montgomery from office following his egregious conduct and complete disregard for his duties as an elected official. This month, Montgomery was indicted by a superseding indictment on federal charges, including four counts of witness retaliation, one count of witness tampering, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. He was placed on house arrest pending his federal detention hearing, but after violating the terms of his release, he was taken into custody and now remains in jail, unable to fulfill his responsibilities as sheriff of the City of St. Louis.

The Attorney General's Office remains committed to ensuring the stability and integrity of law enforcement in St. Louis and across the state and will continue seeking a quo warranto to protect the public's trust.