Jackson resident enters guilty plea in rape case

A Jackson man pleaded guilty Monday in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court to one count of second-degree statutory rape for having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

Ulises Gutierrez entered his guilty plea to Judge John Heisserer, who ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set sentencing for June 9. Gutierrez remains in custody in lieu of $25,000 bond.

The girl told police the relationship took place over a two- to three-month period, ending in January.

As part of his plea agreement, an additional charge of statutory rape and a single county of statutory sodomy involving another victim were dismissed by the prosecutor's office.

The investigator who worked on the cases was satisfied with the guilty plea.

"My goal was to get one case to stick on him, so I'm pleased with that," said Lt. James Humphreys of the Jackson Police Department. "I'd have hated to see the victims hash this out in court, even though they were more than willing to do it."