Man rapes 12-year-old he met online at motel, NM officials say. He’s going to prison

A man is going to prison after being accused of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl he met online, New Mexico officials said.

Jeremy Guthrie, 43, met the 12-year-old girl on Snapchat, according to an Aug. 5 Facebook post by the Bernalillo County District Attorney.

The girl thought the person she was talking to was someone her own age and the two made plans to meet up, officials said.

Eventually Guthrie picked her up and took her to a motel where he raped her, officials said.

While the girl was still 12-years-old, Guthrie saw her multiple times in Mesa, about a 160-mile drive southeast of Albuquerque, and assaulted her, officials said.

He continued to assault her until she was 13, when she told police what was happening, officials said.

He was arrested on July 5, 2022, and accused of driving under the influence with six kids in the car, police told KRQE.

Guthrie was convicted in December of criminal sexual penetration of a child under the age of 13, criminal sexual contact of a child under the age of 13 and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, officials said.

He was sentenced Aug. 5 to 36 years in prison, officials said.

Bernalillo County includes Albuquerque and the surrounding area.

This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Man rapes 12-year-old he met online at motel, NM officials say. He’s going to prison."