Humansville clerk accused of preventing candidates from running in April election

HUMANSVILLE, Mo. – A city employee at the center of two state-level investigations in Humansville is now facing a felony indictment for committing election offenses.

It’s a major development in a story KOLR 10 Investigates first broke in May. Investigators are also looking into the potential misuse of public funding in Humansville, where some council members and residents want the state to conduct an audit.

According to the official complaint KOLR 10 Investigates obtained from the Secretary of State, Utility Clerk Sophia Piper is accused of preventing certain candidates from filing paperwork to run in the April election.

The city clerk at the time, Tiffani Jenkins, filed a complaint with the state on March 13, 2024. The complaint says Piper “would make it known she was trying to keep the same people on the board…or like minded people.”

The complaint also alleges Piper would claim some seats were already spoken for.

At a May city council meeting when Chief Investigative Reporter Lauren Barnas asked Piper if she prevented people from running against Mayor Tracy Mason and others in the April election, she denied any wrongdoing.

Lauren: “Did you tell people that they couldn’t run against Tracy and others in April?”
Sophia: “Absolutely not.”

A summons is issued ordering Piper to appear in court on Aug. 5. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison. KOLR 10 Investigates will continue following this story.

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