For Immediate Release
Nov. 21, 2019
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker released the following statement regarding criminal charges filed today against the Mayor of Berkeley, MO.
In early 2019, my office was appointed as Special Prosecutor by the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County in connection with an FBI investigation into Berkeley Mayor Ted Hoskins. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney sought the Special Prosecutor appointment in order to avoid the appearance of any conflict of interest.
Today, acting as Special Prosecutor, my office filed charges against Hoskins in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County. Specifically, my office filed four felony counts of Class One Election Offenses and one felony count of Forgery.* These charges were based on years of investigation into a pattern of harvesting absentee ballots to influence Berkeley elections.
Under Missouri law, Class One election offenses are punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of $2,500 to $10,000. Forgery, a Class D felony, is punishable by up to 7 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
For more information, please find the Probable Cause Statement and Felony Complaint linked below.
Michael Mansur
Director of Communication
Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office
Jean Peters Baker, Prosecutor
Work : (816) 881-3812
Mobile: (816) 674-3954
mmansur@jacksongov.org
http://jacksoncountyprosecutor.com
*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded.