Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston, 46, has been suspended following allegations that she engaged in inappropriate relationships with three men, including a criminal defendant and an undocumented immigrant facing sexual assault charges. The Missouri Attorney General's Office filed a 'writ of quo warranto' this week, seeking to remove Johnston from her position over claims she abused her office.
According to the filing, one of Johnston's alleged romantic relationships was with a defense attorney who represented multiple clients in cases prosecuted by her office. The filing also states that Johnston allegedly had an affair with Juan David Gutierrez, an undocumented immigrant accused of sexual assault. Johnston reportedly provided Gutierrez with her vehicle to assist him in leaving the state while he was under investigation and later vacationed with him in Florida, the documents allege.
The allegations regarding Gutierrez first surfaced in September 2025, when media reported that Johnston was his girlfriend when he was accused of sexual assault in 2019. Gutierrez faced charges of sodomy and attempted sodomy, but the case was transferred to the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 2020 due to the discovered conflict of interest. Court documents indicate Johnston was aware that Gutierrez was from Mexico and had been in the U.S. illegally since 2019. The prosecution of Gutierrez faced delays as investigators were reportedly unaware of his whereabouts, a situation allegedly facilitated by Johnston providing him her truck to travel to Florida.
Gutierrez was apprehended in Ohio in 2024, and his sexual assault trial, initially scheduled for July 13, was postponed to September. Johnston has previously denied allegations related to Gutierrez, filing a defamation lawsuit against an investigator and asserting she took no action to aid him and was unaware of his criminal charges when she sold him her vehicle.
The writ of quo warranto also details an alleged affair between Johnston and a local attorney, identified only by the initials TT, who represented defendants in cases prosecuted by Johnston. The filing claims Johnston continued to oversee cases involving TT, failing to recuse herself. When an employee reportedly discovered this affair, Johnston allegedly retaliated by terminating their employment.
Furthermore, the filing accuses Johnston of having a relationship with a man identified by the initials CW, who was accused of domestic violence. Johnston's office was also involved in prosecuting CW, but a special prosecutor was appointed after law enforcement became aware of their relationship. The documents suggest Johnston withheld information about CW and their affair from the courts, county staff, and the victim in the case.
Staff members within Johnston's office reportedly described an atmosphere of fear and tension, attributing it to Johnston's alleged outbursts. The Missouri Attorney General's Office believes Johnston's alleged actions may constitute several crimes, including corruption and hindering prosecution. A judge has issued a preliminary order suspending Johnston following the attorney general's filing.