A prosecutor in Missouri allegedly aided an illegal immigrant charged with sexual assault and carried on a romantic relationship with him.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A Missouri judge has temporarily stripped Ray County Prosecuting Attorney Camille Johnston of her authority after the Missouri Attorney General’s Office accused her of misconduct, including an alleged romantic relationship with an illegal immigrant she was prosecuting on sex crime charges. The court issued a preliminary order barring Johnston from practicing law while a petition seeking her removal moves forward 📺 DETAIL: According to the petition, Johnston allegedly helped Juan David Gutierrez, a Mexican national accused of sodomy and attempted sodomy in connection with the alleged 2019 sexual assault of a Ray County woman, avoid arrest by transferring the title of her vehicle to him and failing to disclose his whereabouts. The attorney general’s office also alleges Johnston knew Gutierrez was unlawfully present in the United States and failed to recuse herself from his case despite their relationship. Officials further claim that Johnston later visited Gutierrez after he fled Missouri, including trips to Mississippi and Florida. The removal petition also accuses Johnston of engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a defense attorney representing multiple criminal defendants she was prosecuting. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said Johnston’s alleged conduct represented a sustained pattern of misconduct that undermined public trust and posed a threat to public safety. The investigation began after Richmond Police Chief Scott Bagley notified the attorney general’s office of Johnston’s relationship with Gutierrez in May 2024. 💬 KEY QUOTE: “When an elected official treats public office like their personal playground, betraying the public trust, ignoring legal obligations, and putting self-interest first, removal isn’t a suggestion, it’s a necessity.” – Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway 🎯 IMPACT: Attorney General Hanaway has said Johnston “used the court docket as her dating app,” describing her behavior as “unbelievable” and citing “members of the courthouse walking in on her during one of these incidents.” First elected to her post in 2014, the disgraced prosecutor is apparently running for another term this year. |
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