Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess was removed from the murder case against Dr. James Houston on Tuesday in response to her undisclosed conversations with 15 witnesses.

Following a multi-agency undercover investigation, more than a dozen suspected sex traffickers and commercial sex buyers have been taken into custody.

Circuit Judge Mark W. Crooks said the information that had been withheld was evidence that could be considered exculpatory.