Mississippi County sheriff stands by deputy charged with official misconduct, calls ISP investigation ‘unfortunate’

MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) - Mississippi County Sheriff Britton Ferrell is standing by his deputy charged in connection with a stolen truck case and police chase that started in Charleston and ended in southern Illinois in October 2021.

Illinois State police announced charges of official misconduct and battery against Captain Barry Morgan on Thursday, April 14.

Sheriff Ferrell said his department did an internal investigation after the incident and found Morgan did nothing wrong.

“Captain Morgan is held in high regard within the law enforcement community and he has served and is serving Mississippi County and our profession admirably,” Ferrell said.

The Sheriff also said Morgan, who has served in law enforcement for 17 years, remains at his department in an administrative role.

Ferrell also commented on the case against Morgan, saying “in today’s society of vilifying law enforcement and scrutinizing everything we do, it is unfortunate investigators would rather charge a fellow officer than concentrate on the actual perpetrator of the crime.”

The charges against Morgan come following an Illinois State Police investigation into a shooting Mississippi County and Johnson County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in during a chase with a suspect in a stolen patrol truck in October 2021.

The suspect, 40-year-old Matthew Nelson of Buncombe, did not get hurt in the shooting. Nelson faces a total of 15 criminal charges related to the stolen truck and chase.

Sheriff Ferrell said the case against Nelson is pending.

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