A Missouri prosecutor has been temporarily banned from exercising authority over her office after it was discovered that she was involved in a romantic and sexual relationship with an illegal alien suspected of sexual assault.
Missouri attorney general Catherine Hanaway’s office claims Ray County prosecutor Camille Johnston had an intimate relationship with prospective defendants, one of which is facing prosecution for multiple counts of sexual assault. It alleges that she gave the defendant, Juan David Gutierrez, the title to her vehicle to help him escape prosecution.
A judge approved a preliminary order prohibiting Johnston from entering the prosecutor’s office, the Ray County Courthouse, or operating in her role unless authorized by the court.
From Fox News:
A Missouri county prosecutor has been stripped of her authority after the state attorney general accused her of carrying on a series of improper relationships with people tied to criminal cases in her county, including an illegal immigrant defendant facing sex crime charges.][
A petition for quo warranto filed by the state's attorney general accuses Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston of failing to recuse herself from the investigation involving the illegal immigrant, Juan David Gutierrez, failing to disclose his whereabouts to law enforcement and transferring him the title to her vehicle to help him abscond. The filing also alleges Johnston had other improper relationships that posed conflicts of interest, including with a criminal defense attorney and a man charged in a domestic-violence case in Ray County.
Meanwhile, the AG's petition against Johnston, which prompted a judge to grant a preliminary order barring her from exercising authority as prosecutor until the case is resolved, alleged Johnston retaliated against an employee who discovered one relationship and created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation inside her office.
"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 told Fox News Digital in a statement. "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. In Missouri, public office is public trust, not a personal entitlement, and no one is above accountability."
Hanaway’s office told Fox News Digital that Johnston is "not allowed to take any actions in any official capacity" and, while she can fight for reinstatement as the proceedings continue, "at this time, she is no longer Ray County Prosecuting Attorney." The AG’s office also confirmed that the sexual-violence suspect identified as "J.G." in the petition is Juan David Gutierrez, whose case is currently charged but on hold pending an appeal in another matter.
Johnston "failed to recuse during the investigation" of the underlying sexual assault case involving Gutierrez, Hanaway’s office said, noting a local court later appointed the Missouri Attorney General’s Office to prosecute the case.
This Missouri prosecutor allegedly had a romantic relationship with an illegal alien who was being prosecuted for sex crimes | Davy Crockett, Not The Bee
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) July 21, 2026
It's one of those stories that has you asking, "How in the heck is this real?"
Camille Johnston, a county prosecutor in Ray… https://t.co/omObYnAIqc
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Richmond Daily News reported that Johnston and Gutierrez lived together during their relationship and she was dating him at the time of the 2019 alleged assault. In 2023, she drove her personal truck to Mississippi to deliver it to Gutierrez to help him escape prosecution. She also vacationed with him in Florida.
“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,” Hanaway said, according to the Kansas City Star.
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