BELLE — The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) submitted a probable cause (PC) statement to Maries County Prosecutor as a result of its criminal investigation into Belle Police Officer Erican Sugg regarding alleged sexual harassment from a January 2024 incident. The PC statement has not been filed in the Maries County 25th Circuit Court and is not public record at this time.

The alleged sexual harassment complaint was filed this year, according to a January 2024 letter from Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman. The Sheriff’s Office received the complaint and passed the investigation to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP).

The Advocate confirmed with MSHP on Monday that the investigators submitted a probable cause (PC) statement to Maries County Prosecutor Tony Skouby. Master Sgt. Darrin Haslag, Public Information Officer, said in an email on Tuesday morning that the probable cause statement indicates reason to believe a crime may have been committed.

“Our investigators have submitted a probable cause statement to the prosecutor and not the completed case file,” Haslag said. “The submission of a probable cause statement indicates we have probable cause to believe a crime has been committed and the PC statement would list the laws we feel were violated, based on our investigation.”

Details of the alleged harassment incident have not been released as the investigation has not been fully closed.

Skouby said on Monday that his office did receive the probable cause statement two weeks ago but has not acted on filing charges.

“I have received a probable cause statement,” he said. “There have been requests from outside agencies to do an additional investigation. I have discovered on my own some additional facts that have caused me to delay my charging decision.”

Sgt. Mark Morgan with the Belle Police Department has visited Skouby at his office to discuss the investigation and request a separate inquiry.

“Mark Morgan has requested some additional investigations and based upon his request I discovered some additional facts that he is not privy to,” Skouby said.

Skouby said he is reviewing the new facts he has discovered and will come to a decision regarding the probable cause statement and possible charges by the end of the week.

“That may come with or without a request for a special prosecutor,” Skouby said. “Mark believes there may be another side of the story.”

Haslag said the investigators were unaware of additional information in the investigation.

“Our investigators are unaware of any requests for additional investigations or new information regarding Erican Sugg’s case,” Haslag said. “Once the case file is assembled by our clerks, it will be delivered to the prosecutor.”

When asked about the case, Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman said he feels bad for the victim who has had to wait so long to still not see results.

“I turned this investigation over to the Highway Patrol because I knew the victim and wanted an unbiased investigation,” Heitman said. “I am surprised the prosecuting attorney and (Belle Marshal Jerry Coborn) are allowing Mark Morgan to interfere with the Highway Patrol’s investigation considering (Morgan) is under investigation with the Highway Patrol himself and he is one of the suspect’s best friends.”

Coborn defended his officer’s questions, saying his department has not opened a second investigation, but has no issue with his officer asking questions.

“That’s just being a good boss and good supervisor,” he said. “Even if another agency outside is going to investigation, I am going to investigate my own guys. They are my responsibility.”

Coborn said Morgan conducted a re-enactment of the supposed incident with Sugg in the officer’s patrol car and did not believe the officer could have reached anyone in the back seat through a mounted gun rack. Coborn said he hasn’t reviewed any of MSHP’s reports, though he has pulled CAD reports on the officer from the evening in question and asked for his side of the story.

“My issue is mostly that (Sugg) didn’t have his body camera on,” Coborn said. “Whatever the Highway Patrol comes up with is going to be followed through with by my department.”

Coborn has a department policy that body cameras are to be on at all times during calls.

As far as allowing Morgan to ask “questions about the incident that involves one of his best friends,” Coborn said his sergeant knows friendship is second to the investigation.

“I am going to follow the facts,” Coborn said. “Hopefully I will know more by the end of today.”