A 25-year-old man convicted in a child sexual abuse case was scheduled to be sentenced Friday, but was continued one week at the request of the defense so they could file motions for a departure.
Salvador Araujo-Gutierrez was found guilty of one count of rape and one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. However, the indecent liberties count is an alternate count to the rape, meaning he can only be sentenced on one. The one count of rape falls under Jessica’s law meaning he’s looking at a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
District Attorney Keith Schroeder argues that he wants time to be able to answer any motions filed so asked that they filed well in advance of next Friday’s hearing. So, we’ll have to wait at least one more week before we know the sentence.
As we have been telling you, the jury couldn’t find guilt on four other counts involving this case, where the state alleged that three encounters occurred between 2006 and 2011, but they could only find guilt for an incident in the basement of a Hutchinson home. That’s where they found his DNA from a stain on new carpeting. The child had pointed out where that stain might be which wasn’t able to be detected by the naked eye. However, the KBI tested the fibers of the carpet and discovered the DNA matched the defendant.
The defendant had first claimed the stain wasn’t his, then later claimed that the stain was from him, but it happened when he had an affair with the victims mother. But, the mother of the victim denied that ever happened.
Again, sentencing has been continued till next Friday in front of Judge Tim Chambers.