The state attorney general in Missouri has accused the county prosecutor of carrying out a series of improper relationships with individuals tied to criminal cases in her county, including an illegal immigrant defendant facing sex crime charges.
The petition for quo warranto filed by the state's attorney general accuses Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston of failing to recuse herself from the investigation involving the illegal immigrant, Juan David Gutierrez, and transferring the title to her vehicle to help him abscond.
The filing also alleges Johnston had other improper relationships that posed conflicts of interest, including with a criminal defense attorney and a man charged in a domestic-violence case in Ray County.
The attorney general's office told that Johnston is "not allowed to take any actions in any official capacity" and, while she can fight for reinstatement as the proceedings continue, "at this time, she is no longer Ray County Prosecuting Attorney."
The state attorney general's office stated that Johnston's record reflects a sustained pattern of misconduct and willful neglect that has undermined the integrity of the prosecutor's office and poses a serious threat to public safety.
The petition alleges Johnston failed to recuse during the investigation of the underlying sexual assault case involving Gutierrez, and that she had lived with Gutierrez and had been involved in a romantic and intimate relationship before she took office as Ray County prosecutor in January 2023.
The filing says Johnston was informed as early as September 2020 that Gutierrez was a suspect in a Ray County sexual assault, and that he is currently awaiting trial for felony sexual offenses.
The attorney general's office separately told that Johnston admitted she knew Gutierrez's immigration status for several years, and that the petition alleges Gutierrez is a citizen of Mexico who had been illegally present in the U.S. since 2019.
The petition also alleges Johnston maintained a romantic relationship with a Ray County defense attorney who represented criminal defendants in cases prosecuted by her office, and that she had another romantic relationship with a man charged in a domestic-violence case.
The filing further alleges that Johnston knowingly created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation inside the Ray County Prosecuting Attorney's Office by verbally berating staff and employees.
The attorney general's office said it stands by the allegations in the petition but could not comment on the possibility of criminal charges involving Johnston.
