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Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years

What was going through the mind of former Miami cop Jesus Guitierrez when he turned down a plea offer with probation and no jail time on charges he had sex with a 14 year old enrolled in a police teen program over a ten month period?

He rolled the dice, went to trial and was convicted of three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child. The Judge sentenced him Friday to 20 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of probation.

Trials are risky. Guiterrez has a wife and two small children, who will now grow up without a father. If he turned down the deal to get his job back or avoid sex offender registration, banking on the victim crumbling on the stand, he made a poor choice.

What happened at trial? According to his trial attorney, Gina Mendez, the victim made up the sex story. From the Miami Herald (9/29/05):

His attorney, however, says the story was simply concocted -- to cover up a sexual relationship with another Miami police officer. "I'd say the testimony was not credible," said defense attorney Gina Mendez, pointing to conflicting details between the girl's account and those of other witnesses.

The Accuser's testimony:

The teenager told the five-woman, one-man jury that she met Gutierrez -- a highly decorated officer -- on the evening of Oct. 9, 2002, at Miami police headquarters, after finishing an Explorer meeting. Later that night, she and an 18-year-old friend from the Explorer program met him at a Metrorail station just off Interstate 95 and South Dixie Highway, she testified. There, they kissed and he groped her -- she felt nervous and sick, but liked the cop, she said.

On the morning of Oct. 13, Gutierrez picked her up -- after withdrawing cash from an ATM -- and drove to the Jamaica Motel on Southwest 8th Street. The rooms can be rented for two hours at a time and feature adult movies and mirrors on the ceiling. "Once we pulled into the motel, I knew what was going to happen," she told the jury, admitting she did not stop his advances.

There was other evidence:

Prosecutor William Altfield says bank records, as well as handwriting samples comparing Gutierrez's signatures on the motel registration card to documents at the officer's workplace, bolster the case. The relationship continued for months until detectives got wind of the rumors. Gutierrez was arrested in October of 2003, and relieved of duty.

The defense at trial:

Mendez, Gutierrez's attorney, said the girl's story is fabricated. During cross-examination, Mendez pointed out that when the girl's friends asked her about the alleged relationship, the teen blurted out the last name of another police officer.

The girl said she mentioned the name to cover up for Gutierrez. Mendez acknowledged that she had not talked to the other officer to corroborate the allegation.

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    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:41 PM EST
    Here's one for you. What do you do if you're falsely accused of molestation & offered probation. If you lose at trial you get 35 years, minimum? Just had a client take a no contest plea in what may have been that very situation. Trial, I (and the prosecutor) thought was a tossup - there were some problems with the girl's story. But the judge ruled against us on trying to get into evidence a prior false accusation by the alleged victim(gotta love those rape shield laws!) and juries want believe kids. Frankly, I hope the guy's guilty. When people ask defense lawyers how they can defend guilty people, most will say that it's easier - you don't have to worry about an innocent client getting screwed.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:13 PM EST
    I saw this story earlier today. However, it failed to mention that he turned down a plea deal for probation and no jail time. I immediately started to draw comparisons to Debra Lafave. She committed her crime in Florida, her victim was 14, and she was also in a position of trust. Why in the world did she only get 3 years of house arrest followed by a period of probation while this guy gets 20 years? Was it because she is a woman? Is there really a double standard when it comes to sentencing for this type of crime? But, he was basically offered the same deal and turned it down. Still, I wonder if there is a double standard and this is an isolated incident. Anyone have any statistics? I can't seem to find any.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:40 PM EST
    Makes me wonder if he is innocent. Innocent or very arrogant.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#2)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:40 PM EST
    It hinges on what "Prosecutor William Altfield says bank records, as well as handwriting samples comparing Gutierrez's signatures on the motel registration card to documents at the officer's workplace, bolster the case. " means. It's hard to imagine going to trial with that evidence against you and not taking a no time plea.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#3)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:40 PM EST
    kdog, ditto

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#4)
    by Ambiorix on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:40 PM EST
    [The prosecutor] said he made the offers to spare the girl, now 17, from having to testify.
    see link above Turning down this generous plea bargain offer and forcing this weeklong trail on the girl must have pissed-off the judge really badly.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:40 PM EST
    What was going through the mind of former Miami cop Jesus Guitierrez when he turned down a plea offer with probation and no jail time on charges he had sex with a 14 year old enrolled in a police teen program over a ten month period? One possibility is that he thinks he's innocent. No matter how much of a better deal a plea would be, I think it would be extremely difficult to admit to something like that if I really hadn't done it. Nobody would ever believe me once I took the deal. Just a thought.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:41 PM EST
    To: Macromaniac Double Standard? Of course there is. At least in prison, therefore in the courts probably as well. It goes like this. When a woman kills a man, and gets prison time she is put on a throne by other women. When a man kills a woman and gets jail time other men try to kill him.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:41 PM EST
    Was it because she is a woman? Of course. A man sleeps with a 14 year old girl, the girl is a rape victim. A woman sleeps with a 14 yr. old boy, the boy is the envy of the neighborhood.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:41 PM EST
    pearyb, Your comparison made me chuckle and think of the following quote: "If she weighed the same as a duck... she's made of wood. And therefore... A witch! Burn her!" The double standard I am referring to is in regards to plea bargains and sentencing. Trying to compare a double standard regarding how someone is treated in prison by other inmates is different than how they are sentenced or what plea bargains they are offered. kdog, I would have to agree with you except in this case he was offered a better deal than Lafave. At least I think he was. She was offered 3 years house arrest plus probation. He was offered just probation. I haven't been able to locate the details of his plea agreement but from what I have seen so far, house arrest was not part of his agreement. Also, he may be the envy of the neighborhood to other men (not all men mind you), but to other women, he is a rape victim and she is scum.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Dec 18, 2005 at 04:30:22 PM EST
    I am presently on a deferred probation, after being offered basically the same deal. I was advised that to go trial would mean a sentence of 20 years if convicted, (14 year old to take the stand), or the probation. After a brief contemplation and consideration of freedom or prison, I can sit here and write this. I would have to think that he thought he could beat the charge. As Sailor mentioned, it would be difficult to go to trial with the evidence at hand. I accepted a plea of No-Contest, so that I can at least have the record expunged at the end of the probation. At least that's how I was advised.

    Re: Cop Turns Down Probation, Gets 20 Years (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 27, 2006 at 12:42:31 PM EST
    This comment is for everyone who has commented on the jesus gutierrez subject. I was that 14 year-old girl, I am now 18 years old and I have not been able to move on past this devastating experience. Jesus and I did what we did but he does not deserve to be in prison.Just to be clear to everyone, Jesus is one of the greatest people I have ever met, he was also one of the greatest cops ive ever known,he always had his heart in the right place but, he made a mistake,people are not perfect. Jesus does not belong in prison. He never once put fear in me and I have no god damn clue why people are saying "rape" because it was very consentual, he never forced me to do anything I did not want to do. I suppose people call it "rape" because they are too ignorant to know what the actual charges were. I do not and never will regret a single thing that happened between jesus and I, the only thing I regret is getting caught!

    re: cop turns down probation, gets 20 years (none / 0) (#13)
    by chris on Sat Dec 09, 2006 at 02:05:59 AM EST
     You are a very strong and special person. I heard of this case tonight for the first time when I met you at work (my six year old son paid for dinner with his fake credit card). I got home and googled the case and this site came up. You have a great way about you and I hope all your dreams and goals are realized. Hope to see you again my friend. Good luck. Chris