Trial for Fulton man charged with assault of a minor starts Jan. 8

Scott A. Armstrong appears in Callaway County court this week

The trial for a Fulton man charged with third-degree assault after an incident involving a minor starts this week.

Scott A. Armstrong, 37, allegedly put a teenage boy in a chokehold in March. He will appear in front of a jury at 9 a.m. on Jan. 8, according to Missouri's online court records. A pre-trial conference is set for Monday. Both will be at the Callaway County Courthouse with Judge Gary M. Oxenhandler.

The boy and his parents reported the alleged incident to the Callaway County Sheriff's Office on March 5, according to the probable cause statement. They reported that Armstrong, a federal law enforcement officer at the time, put the teen in a chokehold and cut off his air, leading him to lose consciousness temporarily.

Armstrong pleaded not guilty in June. Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Wilson previously told the Fulton Sun that the charge against Armstrong is determined on intent, which means the alleged victim's age will not lead Armstrong to definitely be charged with assault of a minor.