BELLE — A Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) investigation against Belle Police officer Sgt. Mark Morgan, a Maries County Sheriff candidate, has been completed and is pending delivery to the prosecuting attorney.

Darrin Haslag, information officer for the patrol, said on March 15 that the investigation was completed and had been relayed verbally to Maries County Prosecutor Tony Skouby.

“We verbally briefed the prosecutor and we are waiting for it to be brought down to him,” Haslag said.

“We verbally gave him an update on the status of the investigation.”

Haslag said the investigator had completed the investigation, but the clerks had not finished adding information to the binder to be delivered to Skouby.

“The prosecutor is awaiting the completed case file before determining charges,” Haslag said. “We are waiting for the clerks to get the book done for the book to be delivered.”

As the investigation has not been officially closed, Haslag said findings can’t be shared until the prosecutor decides what action he will take. Afterward, the investigation becomes an open record.

Skouby said on Friday that his office had not received anything about Morgan.

“Nothing on Mark Morgan that I know of,” Skouby said.

“There is no investigation completed that says this happened.”

Skouby also said that he checked with both his clerk and the judge to make sure nothing had been sent to his office.

Skouby commented again before The Advocate’s deadline on Tuesday.

“They (MSHP) may not send me anything if they choose not to file it,” Skouby said on March 19 when asked for an update.

“If they choose not to pursue it they won’t send me anything. If they decide they want to pursue it then they will send me a probable cause statement.”

A second investigation against Belle Police Officer Erican Sugg regarding alleged sexual harassment was also conducted by MSHP and resulted in a probable cause statement sent to Skouby recommending charges be filed. MSHP’s recommendation was sent an estimated two weeks ago.

Haslag said on March 12 that a probable case statement was submitted to Skouby around March 5 and the patrol’s clerks are finishing a binder of findings. The binder will be delivered to Skouby’s office once the MSPH investigation is closed.

“Can’t say much about what the case is about,” Haslag said. “They submitted everything we had up to the prosecutor.”

Skouby said on March 15 that he wasn’t sure what action he would take on that case. He had hoped to decide by Friday but delayed until Monday. No decision was forthcoming on Monday either.

On Tuesday, Skouby said he was waiting for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office to call.

“I am waiting on a phone call from the Attorney General’s Office on the Sugg case to see if they want me to ahead and file or wait for them to file it,” Skouby said.

Sugg has a May 3 hearing with the Administrative Hearing Commission (AHC), the judicial branch of the Department of Public Safety, regarding an allegation of sexual misconduct against his peace officer license.

A third case involving the city of Belle was filed on March 14 by former city clerk Frankie Horstman. A summons was issued by Maries County Circuit Judge William E. Hickle. Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman said his office expects to deliver the summons when it is issued to his office.