JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — The former municipal prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday, months after he admitted to having sexual contact with a defendant and then lying to the FBI about it.
U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark sentenced James Isaac "Ike" Crabtree to 18 months in prison for deprivation of rights under color of law and lying to the FBI.
5 On Your Side previously reported on Crabtree's indictment in April after investigators say he used his position of power to subject a woman with cases pending before him to sexual contact. Crabtree resigned from his position in March, nearly one year after federal investigators say he met with a woman after regular business hours at the courthouse.
Sources familiar with the case told the I-Team the alleged victim caught the encounter on her cellphone video camera and that Crabtree locked the door to his office.
The indictment also alleged Crabtree lied to the FBI during an interview with agents on March 3 when he denied kissing the victim, touching her body and having her take off a portion of her clothing during the meeting at the courthouse.
The victim said Crabtree mentioned her children after she initially told him she was not a prostitute and would not have sex with him. She took that as a threat that she could be jailed and lose her children.
Judge Clark said she went along with Crabtree “out of fear.”
Court documents said Crabtree kissed and groped her in his office and masturbated in front of her. The release also said he met her three more times at various locations to kiss and grope her, asked her to send him nude photos and staked her at her workplace.
“When I showed up to the courthouse and his office, I trusted him," the victim wrote in a victim impact statement. "Instead of an officer of the court and a true prosecutor, I found out that I encountered a monster and a person not deserving of the titles and office bestowed upon him. He horribly abused my trust in him. He violated me. He sexually assaulted me.”
Crabtree was also ordered to pay the costs of any counseling for the victim.
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