At a hearing today Edward Gutierrez was charged with internet luring of a child, enticement of a child, two counts of internet sexual exploitation of a child and attempted sexual assault of a child.
Edward Gutierrez
A Robbinsville man who allegedly flew to Denver, believing he was going to have sex with a teenage girl he met on Facebook, was released from custody by a Colorado judge today.
At a hearing today Edward Gutierrez, 38, was charged with internet luring of a child, enticement of a child, two counts of internet sexual exploitation of a child and attempted sexual assault of a child, said Pam Russell, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County District Attorney in Colorado.
Gutierrez was arrested last week following a sting by the district attorney’s Child Sex Offender Internet Investigations Unit. A 13-year-old girl who Gutierrez had become Facebook friends with reported he had sent her inappropriate messages through the social networking site and via text messages, the district attorney's office said.
The girl ended her connection with Gutierrez and a law enforcement officer posing as a 14-year-old friend of the girl began messaging him online, police said. Through online and text message conversations where Gutierrez believed he was corresponding with the teen, they arranged to meet for sex, investigators said.
Gutierrez flew from Philadelphia to Denver on Jan. 18 and traveled to Wheat Ridge, Colo. where he had planned to meet the teen at a restaurant. In the restaurant’s parking lot Gutierrez was apprehended by investigators.
Russell said Gutierrez, who works at a TD Bank branch in Mount Laurel, was not represented by an attorney at his initial court appearance today but was released from the Jefferson County Detention Center on his personal recognizance.
“He is out of custody and can return to his home but must come back for court appearances here,” Russell said.
As a condition of Gutierrez’ bond he is not allowed to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 and is barred from using social networking websites and text messaging. His computer use is limited to what is necessary for work.
He does not have another court date scheduled at this time.
Previous coverage:
• Facebook sex sting: N.J. man is arrested after flying to Colorado for sex with teenage girl