💛 A quick favor, if you've got a second.
We're really happy that you chose to read one of our stories and sincerely hope you'll stick around to read more. We took our paywall down — for now — but that won't last forever, and when the gate goes back up, we'd love for you to already be on the inside.
It's free. So please enter your email here and don't forget to like and follow us on all of your favorite Social Media platforms!
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has moved to permanently remove Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston from office, citing what her filing describes as a pattern of serious ethical breaches and conflicts of interest. A quo warranto petition filed by Hanaway’s office prompted a judge to issue a preliminary order immediately suspending Johnston’s prosecutorial authority, effectively removing her from the position she has held since January 1, 2023.
The state’s allegations center on Johnston’s relationship with Juan David Gutierrez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who faces felony sexual offense charges in Ray County. According to the petition, Johnston and Gutierrez had lived together and maintained a romantic relationship before she assumed office. The complaint asserts that Johnston failed to recuse herself from investigating Gutierrez despite knowing of his immigration status and his status as a sexual assault suspect since at least September 15, 2020.
The filing further accuses Johnston of concealing Gutierrez’s whereabouts from law enforcement, visiting him in Mississippi and vacationing with him in Florida after he left Missouri. Most significantly, the petition claims Johnston transferred vehicle title to Gutierrez in 2023 while knowing he was under criminal investigation, allegedly facilitating his departure from the county.
Beyond the Gutierrez matter, the state contends Johnston engaged in at least two additional improper relationships with individuals connected to criminal cases under her jurisdiction. One involved a Ray County defense attorney representing defendants in cases her office prosecuted; another concerned a man charged with domestic violence whom Johnston allegedly failed to properly recuse herself from prosecuting.
The petition also accuses Johnston of creating a hostile work environment through verbal abuse of staff members. According to the filing, Johnston allegedly retaliated against an employee who discovered one of the compromising relationships by terminating that employee’s employment.
“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,” Hanaway said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “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.”
Hanaway’s office confirmed that Johnston is barred from exercising any prosecutorial functions and stated she is “no longer Ray County Prosecuting Attorney.” The office said it stands by all allegations in the petition but declined to comment on potential criminal charges against Johnston. The Gutierrez sexual assault case has been transferred to the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for prosecution.
More Stories
Packers Running Back Josh Jacobs Placed on NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List Following Domestic Arrest
Federal Prosecutors Convene Special Grand Jury to Investigate D.C. Schools’ Attendance and Graduation Practices
Chicago Mayor Issues Executive Order Requiring Contractor Diversity Disclosures and ICE Ties Reporting