Judge revokes former Osage County sheriff’s probation

A St. Louis County judge revoked former Osage County Sheriff Michael Dixon’s probation in a 2014 harassment case.

Judge Ellen Ribaudo revoked the suspended sentence for misdemeanor harassment on July 15, according to online court records posted Wednesday. Dixon must pay a $1,000 fine, and repay Phelps County $214.60 for the mileage incurred by special prosecutor Brendon Fox, who is that county’s elected prosecutor.

Dixon violated his probation in April, when Boone County sheriff’s deputies arrested him for unlawful use of a weapon. A probable cause statement claims the sheriff pointed a gun at someone he knew at the Hitching Post bar in Hartsburg while drunk. The revoked probation means his misdemeanor charge will stay on his record.

Dixon pleaded guilty on July 1, 2014 to the charge, stemming from complaints by a police officer from the city of Belle. Dixon received a suspended imposition of sentence, meaning the crime would be taken off his record upon the completion of a two-year probation. He kept his job as sheriff, while battling in Cole County court for his peace officer’s license. Dixon’s attorney Travis Noble filed for an early end to that probation in April 2016, days before his arrest in Boone County.

Dixon resigned as Osage County Sheriff on May 26, after a month of county officials waiting to hear from him, and leaving the day-to-day operations of the department in the care of Lt. Ron Dishman, who became sheriff after Dixon’s resignation. Dixon is not running for sheriff in 2016.

Dixon will have a preliminary hearing on August 11 in Boone County at 10 a.m. on the unlawful use of a weapon charge.