ST. LOUIS – While threatening to cut essential services, the Sheriff’s Office made a deal for a luxury buy in silence.

It’s a brand-new Chevy Tahoe the St. Louis Sheriff’s Office has avoided talking about. 

FOX 2 found it parked in the city lot on Laclede after obtaining the Sheriff’s Office buyer’s order saying it costs $52,773.

This discovery comes after Sheriff Alfred Montgomery had threatened to stop transporting inmates to the hospital because of money problems.

On Monday, Alderwoman Daniela Valazquez told the Sheriff, “We’re in a budget hearing because your department doesn’t have enough money to–you’re in the red.”

The Sheriff often blamed the media, at one point saying, “We can’t go by news sources. Their job is entertainment.”

Alderman Michael Browning answered, “I would argue the media’s job is to inform.”

Aldermen questioned the Sheriff’s expenditures at the budget meeting, but they did not know at the time about the Tahoe.

FOX 2 has found out the possible reasons for that. 

We’ve confirmed it was not obtained through traditional means. 

We’ve learned it never went before the capital committee to be approved as an expenditure, and we’ve also confirmed the Comptroller’s Office has not signed off on the agreement to buy it.

FOX 2 asked the Sheriff’s Office about this vehicle more than a week ago when we first got the tip about it. 

We also made a Missouri Sunshine request for the documentation, and the office said it would answer Tuesday morning, which turned into Tuesday afternoon, but with no answer.

Thursday afternoon, the office texted a statement that said in part that their “…fleet is currently eight vehicles short of its allocated need to perform basic responsibilities…” adding quote “…discretionary funds (are) established for the office under Missouri Law…”

FOX 2 also learned the vehicle has yet to be paid for, while the purchase contract is dated January 25—which means that as aldermen were pressing the Sheriff for answers about expenditures—the pricey vehicle was parked in the city lot without budget leaders knowing anything about it.