Former Jefferson County Municipal Prosecuting Attorney indicted by federal grand jury

(Jefferson County) Former Jefferson County Municipal Prosecutor James Isaac Crabtree has been indicted by a federal grand jury for alleged sexual contact with a woman who was a defendant in several of Crabtree’s pending cases.

Crabtree has been indicted on one count of Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law, and one count of False Statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) related to a March 8, 2021, incident.

Crabtree resigned from his position as municipal prosecutor in March 2022 as a result of the federal criminal investigation.

The Indictment alleges that, on March 8, 2021, Crabtree met with a female in his courthouse office after regular business hours. At that time, the female, identified in the Indictment as “Victim One,” was a defendant in several pending cases being prosecuted by Crabtree in Jefferson County Municipal Court.

The Indictment alleges that, during that meeting, Crabtree subjected Victim One 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.

The Indictment further alleges that, on March 3, 2022, when interviewed by Special Agents of the FBI concerning the March 8, 2021, incident, Crabtree lied and falsely denied that he kissed Victim One, that he had touched Victim One’s body, and that he had Victim One take a portion of her clothing off during the meeting in his courthouse office.

The Indictment alleges that Crabtree knew his statements to the FBI were false because Crabtree had taken those actions and engaged in that conduct.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith.

The Jefferson County Municipal Prosecuting Attorney is a separate office and is not connected with the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.