VIENNA— A former Maries County Sheriff’s Department deputy who was fired following an investigation involving $5,300 in missing cash evidence has filed a federal lawsuit alleging discrimination, harassment and retaliation by the department.

Jay Yelton filed the case Sept. 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The case, Yelton v. Maries County Sheriff’s Department, has been assigned to Senior U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.

According to the complaint, Yelton worked as a Maries County deputy from July 2024 until his termination Sept. 19, 2025. Yelton identifies as transgender and alleges that beginning in February 2025 he was subjected to severe and pervasive harassment by sheriff’s department employees because of his transgender status.

The complaint alleges deputies requested to see Yelton’s genitals, asked unwanted questions about his genitals, told him he should not be so “feminine” and made comments about shutting off his “female emotions” and “female hormones.”

Yelton alleges he began complaining to supervisors about the conduct in May 2025, but the department failed to take corrective action. He claims his work hours were reduced beginning Aug. 11 in retaliation and that his eventual termination was also retaliatory.

Since the lawsuit was filed, Sheriff Mark Morgan made a separate public statement involving former Sheriff Chris Heitman and another man during a discussion with the Maries County Commission.

Morgan was discussing his contention that Prosecuting Attorney Anthony (Tony) Skouby had blocked a subpoena connected with an investigation Morgan said involved the former sheriff.

“The former sheriff and one of his former boyfriends or current boyfriend set up a police officer in the city of Belle,” Morgan said. “And now that same person is trying to sue the city of Belle for over $800,000.”

Morgan’s remarks involved a separate dispute unrelated to Yelton’s federal case. Yelton’s lawsuit also includes a second count alleging whistleblower retaliation under Missouri law.

According to the complaint, Yelton reported a fellow deputy to the sheriff in October 2024 because he believed the deputy had tampered with evidence. The deputy was suspended without pay. Yelton alleges that after a new sheriff took office in January 2025, the offense was removed from the deputy’s record. He later complained about the matter to the Maries County Commission.

The complaint also alleges Yelton reported another deputy in April 2025 for claiming to have responded to an emergency call when the deputy had not done so.

The lawsuit provides additional details concerning the $5,300 in cash evidence previously reported missing from the sheriff’s department.

According to the complaint, Yelton arrested a suspected impaired driver June 5 and seized evidence that included $5,300 in cash. Yelton alleges he logged and reported the evidence according to department procedures, after which the cash disappeared from department custody.

Yelton alleges he reported the missing money to his sergeant and said he believed one or more deputies had stolen it. The complaint further alleges the department administered polygraph examinations to deputies and that those deputies failed the examinations.

As previously reported by The Maries County Advocate, the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the disappearance of the cash evidence. The investigation remains open with no charges filed against anyone, and Yelton was later fired.

Yelton alleges his termination resulted, at least in part, from his reports concerning other deputies, the missing cash and his complaints about workplace harassment.

Yelton filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Oct. 30, 2025. According to the lawsuit, on July 14 the EEOC and U.S. Department of Justice issued a Notice of Right to Sue.

The case came up during the Sept. 24 Maries County Commission meeting when County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers told commissioners the county had received information concerning the lawsuit.

“Former employee Jay Yelton has filed a lawsuit of discrimination,” Rodgers said. “It’s a federal lawsuit.”

The commission did not discuss the allegations in detail. Federal docket records show the Maries County Sheriff’s Department has waived formal service, with a response due Nov. 10. Attorney Raymond Lampert has been granted permission to appear in the case on Yelton’s behalf.