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MONTGOMERY CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A St. Charles County deputy is now charged with a felony over a 2009 drug raid in nearby Montgomery County.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that deputy Christopher Hunt is charged with first-degree burglary, which is a felony, in addition to misdemeanor counts of property damage, assault and making a false report.

Montgomery County prosecutor Nicole Volkert says a previous prosecutor had filed misdemeanor charges only. Volkert decided to upgrade to the felony charge.

Three other St. Charles County officers go to trial in March on misdemeanor charges. The charges stem from a drug raid in which the suspect was allegedly kicked and punched.

Hunt's attorney blames the upgraded charge on politics and calls it "an assault on police officers trying to do police work."