Editor’s note: This story includes disturbing details about a case of alleged child sexual exploitation.
RATHDRUM, Idaho — A Rathdrum man was sentenced to life in prison without parole for various sex crimes committed against children.
In December 2022, law enforcement received a tip that 36-year-old Timothy Jon Gutierrez was sexually abusing a 12-year-old family member.
During the investigation, officers learned that Gutierrez began sexually abusing the family member when they were 11 and Gutierrez allegedly would smoke fentanyl around them.
According to court documents, the abuse included Gutierrez having “manual-genital, genital-genital and/or anal-genital contact with the child.”
At the scene, officers arrested Gutierrez and seized his phone. After obtaining a search warrant, officers went through Gutierrez’s phone and found multiple images of child pornography including “prepubescent children engaging in various sexual acts.”
Gutierrez was charged with lewd conduct with a minor under 16, injury to a child and sexual exploitation of a child by possession of sexually exploitative material.
Lewd conduct with a minor under 16 is punishable by up to life in prison, injury to a child is punishable up to 10 years in prison and sexual exploitation of a child is punishable up to 10 years in prison.
Gutierrez’s sentencing took place on Jan. 30 where his prior convictions were discussed. At the age of 17 he was charged with lewd conduct with a minor under 16 as a juvenile.
In 2015, he was convicted of felony trafficking of heroin and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but was eventually released on parole.
Then in 2019, Gutierrez was convicted for felony eluding after fleeing from officers during a traffic stop. He was placed on probation and violated it in 2020.
He was placed in a prison based treatment, referred to as “rider,” before being released back on probation.
Again in 2022 Gutierrez violated his probation and was convicted of felony possession of methamphetamine.
During his sentencing, Criminal Chief Deputy Prosecutor recommended life in prison without parole for lewd conduct with a minor under 16 and 10 years in prison without parole for injury to a child and each charge of possession of sexually exploitative material.
They also recommended that Gutierrez have his probation revoked and sentences imposed in eluding and possession of meth cases.
The District Judge overseeing this case agreed with the State’s recommendations and gave him those following sentences and revoked Gutierrez probation.
“Having been convicted of multiple serious crimes throughout his short lifetime, including repeated sex offenses, the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office considers Gutierrez to be a continued threat to the general public and citizens of Kootenai County and deserving of life in prison without parole.”
