Calif. man convicted of producing child porn from images collected from NH minors he threatened via the Internet

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CONCORD, NH – A California man was sentenced to serve 25 years in federal prison for tricking underage females from Goffstown, Milford, New Boston, Mont Vernon and Manchester into sending him sexually-explicit photos via the Internet and then threatening to distribute the photos if they didn’t comply with his demands.

According to documents filed in the case, Michael Gutierrez, 35, of Pomona, CA, contacted minor females in New Hampshire through social media and initiating conversations with the minor females through social media platforms.  Gutierrez represented himself to be a 14-year-old female and used the usernames of “Chloe_is_Awesum,” “spamaccount.c” and “Doogteg.”  Gutierrez persuaded the minor females to send him sexually explicit images.  Gutierrez then demanded additional sexually explicit images from the minor females and threatened to distribute the images already provided if the minor females did not comply.  Gutierrez collected the images in 2015 and 2016.  In late 2016, a mother to one of the victims discovered the demands made by Gutierrez and reported them to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI’s investigation led to the identification of Gutierrez.

Gutierrez pleaded guilty to five counts of producing child pornography on June 12, 2018.  After serving his prison sentence, Gutierrez will be on supervised release for 15 years.

“Safeguarding our state’s children is among the most important priorities of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “As this case shows, there are dangers that lurk on social media, where criminals use the anonymity of the internet to abuse the unwary.  We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to target predators whose horrific actions rob children of their innocence.”

“As a predator of children, Mr. Gutierrez deserves every single day of the sentence the court has imposed on him.  He shamelessly coerced children into engaging in sexual activity and forced them to send him photos of that activity,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend individuals like him who choose to exploit and prey upon our children.”

“Homeland Security Investigations is encouraged by today’s sentencing,” said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, Special Agent in Charge. “HSI Special Agents worked diligently to ensure that this individual, who exploited his victims through a series of disturbing and threatening methods, will not harm again.  We abhor these actions and hope that this collaborative investigation and resulting sentence will help the victims in this case begin the healing process.“

The FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Goffstown Police Department, the Milford Police Department, the New Boston Police Department, the Mont Vernon Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department all participated in the investigation of this case.  Staff from the Hillsborough County Child Advocacy Center also assisted in the case.  United States Attorneys Donald A. Feith and Helen White Fitzgibbon prosecuted the case.

In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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