Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has initiated proceedings that have stripped Ray County Prosecuting Attorney Camille Johnston of her authority, citing a series of alleged improper relationships with individuals involved in criminal cases within her jurisdiction. A key accusation involves an alleged intimate relationship with Juan David Gutierrez, an undocumented immigrant facing sex crime charges.
A petition for quo warranto filed by Hanaway's office accuses Johnston of failing to recuse herself from Gutierrez's case, not disclosing his whereabouts to law enforcement, and transferring ownership of her vehicle to him to aid his evasion of authorities. The filing also claims Johnston engaged in other relationships that created conflicts of interest, including with a criminal defense attorney and an individual charged in a domestic violence case in Ray County.
Hanaway stated that Johnston's actions reflected 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 Attorney General's office confirmed that Johnston is barred from performing any official duties pending the resolution of the case, though she has the right to contest her removal.
According to the petition, Johnston and Gutierrez had a romantic and intimate relationship prior to her taking office on January 1, 2023. The filing asserts that Johnston was aware as early as September 2020 that Gutierrez was a suspect in a sexual assault case in Ray County, and he is currently awaiting trial for felony sexual offenses. Gutierrez, a citizen of Mexico, has allegedly been in the U.S. illegally since 2019.
The petition further alleges that Johnston knew Gutierrez's location after he left Missouri, failed to inform law enforcement, visited him in Mississippi, and vacationed with him in Florida. It also claims she assisted him in absconding from Ray County in 2023, despite knowing he was accused of a sexual offense and under criminal investigation.
Beyond the allegations concerning Gutierrez, the petition details an alleged romantic relationship between Johnston and a Ray County defense attorney who represented clients in cases prosecuted by her office. The filing claims Johnston did not disclose this relationship or seek a special prosecutor for those cases.
Additionally, Johnston is accused of having a romantic relationship with a man charged in a domestic violence case. Local law enforcement reportedly learned of this relationship, leading to Johnston's disqualification from prosecuting that specific case after a special prosecutor was sought.
The petition also alleges that Johnston fostered an environment of fear and intimidation within the Ray County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. It claims she verbally berated staff and retaliated against a former employee who discovered one of her potentially conflicting relationships by firing them after learning they were aware of it.
In each alleged instance, the petition states Johnston recognized the impropriety of her conduct but continued the actions, withheld information, and falsely denied the existence of the compromising relationships when questioned.