A Goleta man suspected of committing lewd acts with children is back in the United States after being extradited from Mexico.
Deputies received a report in 2019 indicating the man had engaged in lewd acts with children in an apartment complex of the 5800 block of Nectarine Avenue, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Raquel Zick said Friday.
Gonzalo Gutierrez Cuevas, 60, the apartment maintenance technician, fled to Mexico after learning of the accusations when the investigation began in January 2019, she said.
“The Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Marshals and Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office worked hand-in-hand to find, detain and extradite Gutierrez Cuevas,” Zick said.
He was returned to Santa Barbara County on Thursday evening after being surrendered by authorities in Mexico.
He remained in the custody of the Santa Barbara County Jail on Friday in lieu of $1 million bail.
Gutierrez Cuevas faces eight counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14. The Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office filed the charges in 2019 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
Anyone with additional information or knowledge of other crimes involving Gutierrez Cuevas can contact Detective Sosa at 805.681.4150.
The arraignment hearing for Gutierrez Cuevas has been continued to Jan. 30 before Judge Thomas Adams.