Fight looms to keep out sex offender

MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ IS OUTRAGED OVER A PLEA DEAL THAT BANISHED A SEX OFFENDER FROM MORA COUN...  More »

MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ IS OUTRAGED OVER A PLEA DEAL THAT BANISHED A SEX OFFENDER FROM MORA COUNTY -- AND MAY BRING HIM TO THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA.. THE MAYOR SAYS HE'LL TAKE THE CASE ALL THE WAY TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT IF THE SO- CALLED 'MORA GROPER' SHOWS UP ON ALBUQUERQUE'S DOORSTEP. VALERIE CASTRO IS LIVE DOWNTOWN WITH THE CONTROVERSY -- VALERIE. WE SPOKE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY WHO SAYS THE CITY WILL DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO KEEP CLIFFORD GUTIERREZ FROM MOVING TO ALBUQUERQUE. GUTIERREZ RECENTLY AGREED TO A PLEA DEAL TO MOVE TO BERNALILLO COUNTY OR SANDOVAL COUNTY AS A CONDITION OF HIS RELEASE. A MORA COUNTY JUDGE SENTENCED GUTIERREZ TO PROBATION FOR GROPING WOMEN AND FOR MOLESTING A FOUR YEAR OLD BOY IN MORA COUNTY. HE HAS TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER -- AND HIS PROBATION COULD LAST UP TO 20 YEARS. MAYOR MARTIN CHAVEZ SAYS THAT JUDGE IS JUST SENDING MORA COUNTY'S PROBLEM TO THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA -- PUTTING WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN DANGER HERE. DISTRICT ATTORNEY KARI BRANDENBURG SAYS THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE PLEA DEAL IS LEGAL BUT ENFORCING IT MAY BE ANOTHER ISSUE. 'If it's legal then i don't know that anyone has any say in it other than we know where he and we're keeping our eye on him to make sure he doesn't offend in our jurisdiction.'' I can assure you if we did the similar thing here in albuquerque, if we sent our one- thousand sex offenders to Mora county, not only would Mora county be upset but the ACLU would be looking in to it.'THE CITY SAYS IT WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE PLEA AGREEMENT THROWN OUT, EVEN IF IT MEANS TAKING THE CASE ALL THE WAY TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT. ACCORDING TO GUTIERREZ' ATTORNEY HIS CLIENT WAS WILLING TO LEAVE MORA COUNTY TO START A NEW LIFE. IF HE MOVES BACK TO MORA AGAINST THE CONDITIONS OF HIS AGREEMENT, HE COULD POSSIBLY BE THROWN IN JAIL.. LIVE DOWNTOWN... VC...EWN 4. THREE PEOPLE---  « Less