Just two years ago, Keith Freie was named the Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney.

Now, the Wellsville-Middletown graduate is the Missouri Prosecutor of the Year.

Freie received his honor in August from the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. Since 2011, MAPA has given out a prosecuting attorney of the year award to someone with exemplary skills and service.
Freie said he found out that he received the award from an email by MAPA executive director Darrell Moore, who won the first prosecutor of the year award 13 years ago while working in Greene County.

“When I got the email, I was incredibly shocked because I looked at the list of prosecutors of the year over the years and there were a lot of big names on the list,” Freie said. “When I look at it, I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’m going to be on that list next to these prosecutors who accomplished big things.’ It means a lot to be recognized for my service to the community. But it also gave me time to reflect on what we have accomplished, what we can accomplish in the future and who helped me accomplish it. The reality is even though I’m receiving prosecutor of the year, it wouldn’t have happened without every single person in this office. They’re phenomenal.”

Freie was honored with the award during the MAPA Annual Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks on Aug. 29. He was honored again on Sept. 18 at a Missouri Bar Association annual meeting in St. Louis. This time, he took home the plaque.

Freie said at the annual conference three weeks ago, he had to make a speech.

“It was a very nerve-racking experience because there were well over 50 people,” Freie said. “My speech was kind of about coming together as a community of prosecutors. Also, I ended it with the tagline of ‘Be Bold’ with the idea of trying to get prosecutors around the state to be ready to help out their fellow counties and take initiative and get things done.”

Mark Welker, a prosecuting attorney at Cape Girardeau County, presented the award to Freie at the Missouri Bar Association annual meeting.

Freie has been the county’s prosecuting attorney since April 2022. He first served on an interim basis before he was elected to take over permanent duties in November.

Freie became the first Montgomery County resident to be named the state’s prosecutor of the year.

“The duties and responsibilities of the Prosecuting Attorney for a county encompass a wide spectrum and are unique from any other attorney who appears in court,” MAPA said in a statement. “Appearing in court and representing the State of Missouri are the responsibilities that are most often seen on TV and that most citizens who are victims or witnesses have as their immediate experience with a prosecutor. Mr. Freie is an experienced prosecutor, who skillfully fulfills these duties fairly and justly – observing and upholding the rights of the accused and the rights of the victims and witnesses.”

Freie graduated from W-M in 2005. Three years later, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in legal and political studies at William Woods University.

After graduating with a law degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Freie started his own firm in October 2012. He was sworn in that same month at the Missouri Supreme Court building in Jefferson City. He practiced traffic, criminal, family and estate planning.

In November 2014, Freie became the assistant prosecuting attorney for Montgomery County. He worked in that position for three years.

Freie also served as assistant prosecuting attorney at Warren County.