PORTLAND, Ore. — A Multnomah County judge has sentenced Elder Gutierrez-Zuniga to 50 years in prison after he was convicted of numerous felony sex crimes involving a child, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office announced.
On June 29, 2026, Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Sinlapasai imposed the 50-year prison sentence following Gutierrez-Zuniga’s convictions on multiple charges stemming from years of sexual abuse.
The defendant was convicted of:
- 12 counts of first-degree rape
- Seven counts of first-degree sodomy
- One count of attempted first-degree rape
- Two counts of first-degree sexual abuse
- Two counts of criminal mistreatment
- One count of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct
According to prosecutors, three of the rape convictions and six of the sodomy convictions qualified under Oregon’s Jessica’s Law sentencing standards. Approved by voters in 2006, Jessica’s Law requires a mandatory minimum 25-year prison sentence for adults convicted of certain first-degree sex crimes against children younger than 12, including rape and sodomy.
Deputy District Attorney Mihnea Moga prosecuted the case for the state.
“The defendant took advantage of his position as a father figure to this child and preyed upon her vulnerability and susceptibility,” Moga said following the sentencing. “I am hopeful that the sentence in this case will give her some closure and that it will provide her some comfort knowing that he has been held accountable for his heinous actions.”
According to court records, the investigation began in 2025 when a young teenager disclosed to a trusted adult that she had been sexually abused by the defendant beginning around the age of six and continuing into her early teens.
Investigators said the victim provided detailed accounts of the physical and sexual abuse she endured and turned over text messages that allegedly demonstrated the defendant’s sexual interest in her. The messages reportedly included coded language and sexual requests made by the defendant.
The information provided by the victim led law enforcement to identify and investigate Gutierrez-Zuniga, ultimately resulting in his arrest and prosecution.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office credited Portland Police Detectives Nathan Moore and Angela Hollan for their investigative work and also recognized MCDA Victim Advocate Alie Aguilera for providing support and compassion to the victim throughout the case.
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