ST. LOUIS — A federal judge sent the city's sheriff to jail on Tuesday while he awaits trial on charges that he violated the deputy jail chief's civil rights and then fired or demoted people who he believed were cooperating with the investigation.

Magistrate Judge John Bodenhausen found that Sheriff Alfred Montgomery couldn't be trusted not to tamper with witnesses after he purchased a "burner phone" while under indictment in a misdemeanor civil rights case and didn't disclose it to federal authorities. He used that phone to make threats against his employees, leading to new felony charges.

"I didn't want to have any of these problems," Bodenhausen said, "and here we are."

During a two-hour hearing, Montgomery's lawyers tried to convince Bodenhausen that Montgomery could be left on hous

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