Attorney Suspected of Meeting Girl for Sex Arrested at Pier

A criminal defense attorney allegedly tried to meet an underage girl for sex at the Seal Beach Pier, and was arrested in a sting operation, the Orange County sheriff’s office reported Sunday.

Arturo Fernando Shaw Gutierrez III, 36, was arrested by the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force as he arrived at the pier at noon Saturday, according to a department crime report.

On Oct. 16, the task force investigated a case involving a minor female communicating online with several men, both locally and in other states, the report said.

In November, the task force began communicating with Gutierrez via Facebook and eventually arranged to meet the victim “for sexual purposes” at the Seal Beach Pier on Saturday, according to the statement.

Gutierrez was booked on charges of contacting a minor with intent to commit a lewd act, and arraigning to meet a minor for a lewd act. He was transported to the Seal Beach Jail where he was held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

A search warrant was served at Gutierrez’s home in the Ventura County suburban community of Oak View immediately following his arrest.

“Based on additional information, the task force believes there may be additional minor victims that Gutierrez has communicate or engaged with,” according to the department statement.

The task force consists of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, according to the statement.

-City News Service