Biography

Mr. Gutierrez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton in June 1989, and immediately joined the Fullerton Police Department.  Over the next 13 years, he was assigned to Uniform Patrol, K-9, Field Training Officer, and Detective.  In 1997, Mr. Gutierrez received his Master of Public Administration degree, from California State University Fullerton.

In 2002, Mr. Gutierrez moved to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Bureau of Investigation.  For the next 15 years, he was assigned to the Sexual Assault, Special Assignments, and Homicide Units.  While in the Special Assignments Unit, he investigated complex and sensitive cases to include county-wide officer involved shootings, custodial related deaths, public corruption, and criminal complaints against public officials, police officers, judges and attorneys.  He routinely interviewed high profile individuals and collaborated with numerous agencies including the Orange County Grand Jury, California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), and Orange County municipal police departments.

As a district attorney investigator assigned to the Homicide Unit, Mr. Gutierrez had the opportunity to work in partnership with senior deputy district attorneys to prepare and strengthen cases for trial, ensuring due diligence in locating and interviewing witnesses for homicide trials, which included the guilt and death penalty phases.  As an investigator assigned to the Sexual Assault Unit, Mr. Gutierrez had the opportunity to work in partnership with senior deputy district attorneys to prepare and strengthen cases for trial, due diligence in locating and interviewing witnesses for sexual assault trials, and sexually violent predator commitment hearings, Child Abuse Services Team (CAST) Interviews, and Sexual Assault examinations.

Mr. Gutierrez ultimately supervised the Special Assignments and Sexual Assault Units.  As the Supervising Investigator of the Special Assignments Unit, he routinely presented investigative findings to the Orange County District Attorney, Orange County Grand Jury, California Fair Political Practices Commission , the Orange County Sheriff, and command staff of each of  the 26 municipal police departments in Orange County, California.  Mr. Gutierrez taught Officer Involved Shooting Investigations for the California Peace Officers Association, and the Orange County Sheriff's Training Academy.

Mr. Gutierrez was also entrusted to conduct Personnel Investigations of County of Orange employees, and Pre-Employment Background Investigations, on sworn and non-sworn peace officer job applicants for the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

After honorably retiring from the Orange County District Attorney's Office in 2017, Mr. Gutierrez was contracted as a Special Investigator for the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and received his United States Top Secret Security Clearance.  As a Special Investigator, he conducts national security background investigations, to determine the suitability of individuals to have access to classified information and facilities, as well as Presidential appointments.

Expertise in Political Corruption, Conflict of Interest, Sexual Assault, Homicide investigations, Officer Involved Shootings, Suicide, Custodial Death, Hate Crimes, Extensive experience in conducting prompt, thorough, fair and impartial investigations.  

Mr. Gutierrez also has extensive experience in the following areas:

-Preparing, reviewing, and analyzing comprehensive investigative reports

-Conducting parallel criminal/administrative investigations

-Planning, directing, and supervising complex, high profile, confidential and sensitive   investigations with time restraints in a politically charged environment

Mr. Gutierrez is a trusted leader who was appointed to supervise the most critical units and projects in the Orange County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation.