Missouri Sheriff Accused of Using Burner Phone to Threaten Witnesses: ‘You Work for the Pleasure of Me,’ Feds Say
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI — Federal prosecutors say St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery crossed a dangerous line while under indictment — allegedly using a burner phone to threaten and intimidate witnesses in his own federal case. The 52-year-old sheriff, already accused of abusing his authority earlier this year, is now facing new witness tampering and retaliation charges after allegedly saying his subordinates “definitely gotta go” for cooperating with the FBI.
Sheriff Already Under Investigation When New Threats Emerged
Montgomery was first indicted in August for misdemeanor deprivation of rights under color of law after he allegedly had the acting administrator of the St. Louis City Justice Center arrested for refusing to let his deputies into the jail.
While out on bond, federal agents say Montgomery began retaliating against witnesses who cooperated in that investigation — demoting or firing employees who had provided statements about the original arrest.
Prosecutors say that on September 5, 2025, Montgomery was recorded in a phone call with a St. Louis Sheriff’s Office employee, identified as W.H., where he admitted to targeting workers he believed had spoken to federal investigators.
“I don’t have to take this s—, I’m the f—ing sheriff,” Montgomery allegedly said in the call. “You work for the pleasure of me. I brought you in this motherf—er; I will move you up out this motherf—er.”
Feds Say He Used a Burner Phone to Make Threats
According to prosecutors, Montgomery purchased a burner phone while out on bond to make the intimidation call and continue his attempts to control the investigation from outside custody.
In the recorded conversation, he reportedly named several employees — identified as L.S., T.S.1, and T.S.2 — and accused them of giving damaging information to the FBI.
“They been playing f—ing games since day one,” Montgomery said, according to the indictment. “I’m sick of this s— and I’m sick of these snake motherf—ers … [T.S.1, L.S., and T.S.2] gotta go … [They] definitely gotta go.”
Federal agents allege Montgomery then barred the witnesses from the courthouse and placed one on unpaid administrative leave for “insubordination,” though no legitimate reason was ever provided.
Facing Five Felony Charges and Federal Custody
A superseding indictment was issued Tuesday, charging Montgomery with four counts of witness retaliation and one count of witness tampering.
The embattled sheriff was placed into federal custody this week — and investigators reportedly recovered 14 firearms from his home during a search.
Montgomery’s attorney, Justin Gelfand, maintains his client’s innocence, arguing that the sheriff has been wrongfully targeted.
“What happened here is the sheriff was indicted for five felonies he didn’t commit,” Gelfand told reporters. “Since when do you have a defense lawyer begging to put on evidence of actual innocence, and a prosecutor saying ‘I don’t want to hear it’? That’s not justice.”
In the meantime, officials have appointed an interim sheriff to oversee the department’s operations while Montgomery remains detained. He was elected in 2024 as a Democrat, but his future in office now appears in serious jeopardy.
Public trust in law enforcement depends on accountability at every level. Incidents like this continue to raise questions about oversight and abuse of power within the justice system.
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