Taekwondo instructor bolts before verdict in sex case

AURORA | Police are searching for an Aurora taekwondo instructor who prosecutors say took off just before a jury convicted him of several felony sex

charges for sexually assaulting underage students.

Raul Alberto Gutierrez-Hernandez, 31, sat through his entire week-long trial and even testified, but he didn’t show up to court Tuesday when the jury handed down the verdict, said Lisa Pinto, a spokeswoman for the Arapahoe County district attorney’s office.

The jury convicted Gutierrez-Hernandez of 12 counts of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and as part of a pattern of abuse.

At the time of Gutierrez-Hernandez’s arrest in 2011, police said he had been an instriuctor in Aurora since 2004 and they believe the first assaults happened in 2008. The girls were between 12 and 16 years old, prosecutors said.

He was released on $50,000 bond after his arrest and had shown up for court regularly. Pinto said he testified but could likely tell the verdict would go against him.

Chief Deputy DA Cori Alcock and Deputy DA Amy Ferrin prosecuted the case. They said in a statement that they “will do everything we can to ensure Mr. Gutierrez is apprehended and held accountable for his crimes.”

Gutierrez was an instructor at the Taekwondo Tegura studio on East Sixth Avenue near Salida Street. The studio used to be at 638 Peoria St.

According to his biography posted on the dojo’s website, Gutierrez is a four-time Mexican National Champion, four time member of the Junior Mexican National Team and was named the Amateur Athletic Union’s Colorado Coach of the Year in 2009.

District Attorney George Brauchler said in a statement: “After sexually assaulting these girls in their formative years, and then forcing them to re-live their victimization in front of a jury, Gutierrez runs away from the jury’s verdict?  His black belt in cowardice will look good with his prison overalls. Gutless.”