Kern County Sheriff's deputies arrested a 45-year-old man for kidnapping and raping a woman in Taft.
According to KCSO, a Kern County Sheriff’s deputies were advised of a possible kidnapping that had occurred in the Taft area.
During KCSO's investigation, deputies were provided the suspect vehicles description, and were able to locate the vehicle in the area of S. Union Ave. and Panama Rd. in Bakersfield. Deputies stopped the vehicle, located the victim, and detained the suspect.
The victim, an adult female, reported that she had been involved in a relationship with the suspect but had ended the relationship. On Sunday, March 27, the suspect forced entry into the victim’s home in Taft and forcibly kidnapped her. He drove her to a motel in Maricopa, where he physically and sexually assaulted her.
On March 28, the suspect drove the victim to an orchard from the motel, where she was again sexually assaulted. After the assault, the victim was able to notify family via phone and advised them what had occurred.
Due to the nature of the investigation, detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Sexual Assault and Abuse Investigations Unit assumed the investigation.
As a result of the investigation detectives arrested 45 year old Gilberto Gutierrez for numerous felony charges, including rape, forcible sodomy, kidnapping, spousal abuse, forcible oral copulation, terrorist threats, false imprisonment, and dissuading a witness.
The victim sustained moderate injuries and was treated for her injuries. Gutierrez was booked into the Sheriff’s Office Central Receiving Facility. His bail has been set at $10,015,000.
