Former Jefferson County Prosecutor indicted on Civil Rights Charge, lying to FBI

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - A federal grand jury indicted a former Jefferson County Municipal Prosecuting Attorney who allegedly had sexual contact with a woman inside his courthouse office.

James Isaac Crabtree was indicted on April 20 on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of false statements to the FBI.

According to the indictment, the former prosecutor met with a woman, who had several pending cases being prosecuted by him, inside his courthouse office on March 8, 2021, after business hours. During the meeting, Crabtree allegedly kissed and took a portion of the victim’s clothes off. Documents allege Crabtree subjected the woman “to sexual contact while acting under color of law in his position as Municipal Prosecuting Attorney, thereby depriving Victim One of her Constitutional Right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, which includes the right to bodily integrity”

Former federal prosecutor John Davis told News 4 that someone is charged with deprivation of rights under the color of law when they’ve abused the power of their government position. And he said the U.S. Attorney’s office takes the crime very seriously.

“Because it’s a privilege to have that power to begin with. And it has to be treated respectfully, because the power of the government to change a civilian’s life is intense. And if it’s misused, then the government can’t be trusted,” he said.

Crabtree reportedly later denied the accusations in an interview with Special Agents of the FBI.

“The United States Attorney’s Office appreciates the courage shown by the female victim, in this case, to come forward and bring this defendant’s alleged criminal conduct to light,” Hal Goldsmith, assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri said.

Crabtree worked for Jefferson County as a municipal court prosecutor for 6 years. He resigned in March 2022 because of the criminal investigation, according to officials.

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