Cedar County Chief Deputy Suspended

Contributed Story

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has announced the arrest of Jason Johnson, 50, from Stockton. Johnson, the office’s chief deputy, has been charged with felony third-degree domestic assault, unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, and first-degree harassment. With questions about Johnson’s employment status, County Sheriff James McCrary quickly eased community concerns in a statement.

Jason Johnson

He addressed everything from the charges to Johnson’s employment status.

“On Jun. 23, 2024, the Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a domestic dispute involving Cedar County Deputy Jason Johnson.

The incident had occurred earlier on the 23rd. The persons involved were no longer together. Due to a conflict involving an employee, the Sheriff immediately requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) to conduct the investigation. The Sheriff immediately suspended Mr. Johnson’s employment with the Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Johnson is no longer employed with the Sheriff’s office.” In the release statement by Sheriff McCrary, he continued stating the charges again, saying that a warrant had been issued and Johnson had issued bail.

The St. Clair County Prosecutor, Daniel Dysart, has been appointed as the special prosecutor for the case. After Cedar County issued a warrant for Johnson’s arrest, the MSHP reported that Johnson turned himself into the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, Aug. 8, and later posted a $5,000 bond.

As of the time of publication, the El Dorado Sun has contacted the prosecution attorney, Daniel Dysart, for comment and a probable cause statement.

Mr. Dysart has not returned our phone call. Stay tuned for further updates on this case by subscribing to The Sun.