Former Logan man bound over for trial for allegedly molesting teen girl

Booking photo for Alejandro Gutierrezz (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)

LOGAN — A 47-year-old Logan man has been bound over for trial on charges of sexually abusing a young girl more than 9 years ago. Alejandro Z. Gutierrez was arrested in March after US Marshals located him in Mexico and transferred him back to the state.

Gutierrez participated in a preliminary hearing in 1st District Court, Wednesday morning. He was previously charged with five counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and one count of sodomy on a child, all first-degree felonies.

The alleged victim told the court how Gutierrez molested her twice over the period of several years. The last time was at her home, when he allegedly climbed into her bed and sexually assaulted her. She described being scarred and frozen during the event.

The girl was under 13-years-old at the time the crimes are believed to have occurred. She was an acquaintance of the defendant, who was considered a person of trust.

Police report, the girl woke up her siblings, who then reported the incident to the children’s mother. They confronted Gutierrez, who claimed he was drunk and asleep at the time. He left the home before officers arrived and never returned.

In April 2011, a judge issued a no bail arrest warrant for Gutierrez after his car was found at the Salt Lake International Airport. At that time, police had believed that he had fled the country.

Cache County Chief Deputy Attorney Spencer Walsh also submitted the transcript from a recorded phone call with Gutierrez, noting that the defendant said multiple times that he made a mistake and regretted it.

Public defender Shannon Demler argued four of the charges should be combined because they allegedly happened during one episode.

Walsh countered that state law allows the charges to be filed separately because they involved touching of different areas of the victim’s body. He did request to remove one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, because there was not sufficient evidence to support it.

Judge Angela Fonnesbeck denied Demler’s motion to reduce the charges, noting the case law allowing separate charges to be filed. She also granted Walsh’s motion to remove one of the charges.

Gutierrez was ordered to appear again in court Sept. 28. He is being held in jail without bail and could face up to life in prison if convicted.


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