AFIS Advances Lead to Identification of Rape Suspect

Defendant Jesse R. Gonzales (aka Jesse R. Guerten) was arrested and charged with First Degree Rape and First Degree Burglary with Sexual Motivation for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl in her family's Shoreline home.  The defendant was linked to the crime through a palm print he left on a glass-topped dresser in the girl's bedroom.  This link was the result of advances in King County's Regional Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), which now has the ability to quickly and electronically match all areas of the fingers and palms.  As a result of these advances, the King County Sheriff's Office was able to quickly identify and arrest the defendant within three days of the crime.

In addition, the PAO filed against the defendant a notice of a special allegation that provides for a longer sentence if a sexual assault involves a burglary and rape and the victim is under the age of 15.  If the jury finds the allegation to have been proven at trial, then the defendant faces a minimum sentence of 27 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison.  The defendant is currently in custody on $1 million bail, and is scheduled to be arraigned on December 22 at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 1201 of the King County Courthouse.