‘He has overreached his authority’; Shannon County Coroner speaks out against Sheriff’s allegations

SHANNON COUNTY, Mo. — The coroner of Shannon County said he’s terrified that any time he responds to a death call, he could be led away from the scene in handcuffs.

In the past week, Shannon County’s controversial sheriff has made public allegations against the county coroner.

Shannon County Sheriff Steven Hogan alleged that County Coroner Allen Ford has interfered in active criminal investigations, engaged in harassment, and acted unlawfully.

Earlier this week, Hogan announced on the Shannon County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Facebook page that he has prepared felony charges against the coroner to be sent to the county’s prosecuting attorney.

Shannon County Prosecuting Attorney William Seay told Ozarks First on Wednesday, Aug. 20, that those charges had not yet appeared on his desk.

Ford — who has worked in EMS since 2010 and has served as coroner since the beginning of this year — said he is living in constant fear because of Hogan’s bullying and harassment. He added that the stress of Hogan’s threats of criminal charges has worsened his health problems.

The coroner noted that the alleged bullying has been ongoing since they both took office in January this year.

“This is getting serious — it really is,” Ford said. “He is trying to do every job in the county, and he’s overreached his authority.”

In his Aug. 17 statement, Hogan claimed the SCSO has “documented investigative information showing the Coroner’s overreach into Sheriff’s Office legal battles and ties to investigative conspiracies.”

“The SCSO has felony charges prepared against the Coroner, on the Sheriff’s desk, ready to be submitted to the Shannon County Prosecutor’s Office,” Hogan continued.

In a letter to the editor published this week in the Houston Herald, Ford responded by citing state laws that contradict many of Hogan’s claims.

“By law, the coroner — not the sheriff — takes charge of all death investigations,” Ford wrote in the Herald.

Ford told Ozarks First that he has done nothing unlawful. He said miscommunication from Hogan — along with Hogan’s alleged interference in death investigations — has hindered his ability to do his job.

Ford also said he has been harassed by the SCSO for months. He now locks his truck and dreads seeing deputies, despite the county’s low crime rate and small population of just 7,275 people.

“I lay awake at night wondering what’s going to happen if I drive out to a call and get arrested,” Ford said. “I have committed no felonies and no crimes.”

In Ford’s view, the new SCSO administration has put “a bad black eye” on Shannon County.

The SCSO was thrust into the spotlight earlier this summer when Hogan and the Shannon County Commission clashed in a lawsuit that ultimately turned out in Hogan’s favor.

Ozarks First has reached out to Hogan multiple times for comment but has not received a response.