A Missouri prosecutor has been temporarily booted from office after the state attorney general accused her of helping an illegal immigrant evade authorities while her office faced a decision on whether to prosecute him for an alleged sexual assault.
Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston allegedly concealed her romantic relationship with Juan David Gutierrez, a Mexican national living in the United States illegally, and failed to pursue charges against him because of their relationship, according to a blistering petition filed by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway.
A judge approved a preliminary order Thursday immediately removing Johnston from office while Hanaway’s lawsuit moves forward. The order bars Johnston from entering the prosecutor’s office or the Ray County Courthouse and from conducting business with the office unless authorized by the court, according to The Kansas City Star.
“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.
The most explosive allegations center on Gutierrez, who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Ray County in 2019.
Johnston and Gutierrez had previously lived together and were romantically involved, according to the attorney general’s petition. Local law enforcement and the Missouri State Highway Patrol allegedly informed Johnston as early as September 2020 that Gutierrez was a suspect in the case.
Instead of stepping aside, Johnston allegedly concealed the conflict from the reported victim, investigators, her employees, and the court.
The petition claims Johnston “failed to bring any criminal charges because of her relationship with” Gutierrez and deliberately withheld information about his whereabouts.
Gutierrez left Missouri for Mississippi, but Johnston allegedly knew where he was hiding. She later visited him there and vacationed with him in Florida, according to the filing.
In 2023, Johnston allegedly drove her personal vehicle to Mississippi and transferred its title to Gutierrez. The attorney general contends she provided the vehicle while knowing he could use it to avoid apprehension and possibly flee to Mexico.
Records obtained by KSHB 41 showed Johnston signed the truck’s title over to Gutierrez, who was listed as the buyer at a Mississippi address. The truck was titled in Mississippi in April 2023.
Gutierrez was ultimately arrested in Ohio in 2024. He now faces one count of sodomy and one count of attempted sodomy, KSHB reported. His trial, which had been scheduled for July, was delayed again, with his next hearing expected in September.
The reported victim first went to police in February 2020, but the case took more than four years to reach a courtroom.
Johnston previously denied helping Gutierrez flee. In a 2024 lawsuit against investigator Jim Murray, she said she “took no action to aid Mr. Gutierrez” and was unaware of the sexual assault allegations until after their relationship ended. She also claimed she did not know about criminal charges when she transferred the vehicle.
The attorney general’s petition paints a sharply different picture, alleging Johnston knew Gutierrez was under investigation and “actually assisted” him in absconding.
The accusations do not end there.
Hanaway alleges Johnston also maintained an undisclosed romantic relationship with a criminal defense attorney who represented numerous defendants prosecuted by her office. Despite the apparent conflict, Johnston allegedly failed to disqualify herself or seek a special prosecutor in those cases.
She is also accused of becoming romantically involved with a married man facing domestic violence allegations — and then firing an employee who discovered the relationship. Police eventually learned about the alleged affair and requested that a special prosecutor handle the case.
Johnston was later disqualified from both the domestic violence case and Gutierrez’s sexual assault prosecution, according to court filings.
The petition further accuses Johnston of creating an atmosphere of “fear and intimidation” through angry and allegedly violent outbursts directed at employees. It argues that her conduct may amount to acceding to corruption and hindering prosecution, though no criminal charges against Johnston were announced.
“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 said.
“In Missouri, public office is public trust, not a personal entitlement, and no one is above accountability.”
Johnston has 10 days to respond to the removal petition. Her attorney, Chad Gardner, told KSHB that they would not issue a public statement while the litigation is pending.
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