Missouri Prosecutor Temporarily Suspended Amid Misconduct Allegations
A local prosecutor in Missouri has been suspended from her office due to serious misconduct allegations that have surfaced over a number of years.
In July, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway initiated a quo warranto petition to remove Ray County Prosecuting Attorney Camille Johnston from her position. Circuit Judge Daren Adkins has since issued a preliminary order, temporarily barring Johnston from performing her duties as the litigation continues. Johnston has held the position since winning the election in 2014, re-elected subsequently, even running unopposed in 2022. The allegations against her involve undisclosed romantic liaisons that have led to conflicts of interest, failure to recuse herself in pertinent cases, retaliatory actions against staff, and purportedly assisting a suspect in evading authorities.
One significant allegation concerns Juan-David Gutierrez, an undocumented immigrant facing serious charges of sodomy related to a 2019 incident. Reports suggest that Johnston and Gutierrez had an intimate relationship, allegedly living together at one point. After law enforcement identified Gutierrez as a suspect in a sexual assault case, it is claimed that Johnston failed to disclose her conflict of interest, withheld his whereabouts from authorities, facilitated his escape, transferred her car’s title to him, and even vacationed with him in Florida.
This situation alone could justify the petition from Hanaway, but Johnston’s alleged inappropriate conduct doesn’t end there.
The petition also points to a romantic connection Johnston had with a criminal defense attorney, referred to as T.T., who represented clients in cases handled by her office. It is alleged that she failed to disclose this relationship, thus violating Missouri conflict of interest rules that would have required her to appoint a special prosecutor for any case T.T. was involved in.
Furthermore, Johnston is accused of having another romantic relationship with a defendant in a domestic violence case, identified as C.W. The petition states that she withheld vital information from both the victim and the court.
Concerns about Johnston’s conduct escalated when Joslynn Marco, a former employee in the victim advocate’s office, reported her suspicions to an assistant prosecuting attorney. Marco characterized Johnston’s behavior as a significant violation of ethics and abuse of power. Allegedly, after discovering the report, Johnston retaliated against Marco by terminating her employment. Johnston was initially disqualified from the domestic violence case only after local law enforcement officers learned of the relationship and requested a special prosecutor.
“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 commented. “Johnston’s actions reflect a continuous pattern of misconduct that undermines the integrity of the prosecutor’s office and endangers public safety. In Missouri, holding public office is about public trust, not personal entitlement, and accountability is essential.”
One might assume that a county prosecutor would avoid romantic involvements with individuals her office prosecutes or investigates. However, Johnston seems to have misunderstood the boundaries of her role.
What highlights Johnston’s case is the number of alleged incidents. Authorities suggest that it’s striking how frequently she created conflicts of interest across various cases.
In reality, victims and defendants rightfully expect a fair justice system. Johnston’s repeated failures to maintain a clear line between her personal and professional life raise serious concerns about the public trust she is supposed to uphold.
