Gutierrez’s charges dropped, paid

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Anthony Gutierrez

The former Dann aide failed to pay his Warren business income taxes for 15 months and failed to file two years’ worth of tax returns.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — Anthony Gutierrez, former director of general services to ex-Attorney General Marc Dann, has paid his back business taxes in Warren.

Gutierrez, 50, of Liberty, was fired from his state job after it was alleged that he sexually harassed two female subordinates. He was scheduled to appear Aug. 27 before Magistrate Dan Gerin in Warren Municipal Court on four misdemeanor offenses related to the taxes, but that hearing has been canceled and all charges against him have been dismissed.

That is because Gutierrez paid all back taxes and filed all necessary tax forms Aug. 11, said Tom Gaffney, Warren tax administrator.

Gaffney said he would not reveal the amount of back taxes Gutierrez owed because such information is confidential. He did say Gutierrez paid all of the back taxes at his office Aug. 11 plus all penalties and interest owed and filed his 2006 and 2007 tax returns.

Gutierrez was charged May 14 with not filing tax returns in 2006 and 2007 and not withholding taxes from employees during the fourth quarter of 2006 and all of 2007 for MTV Construction LLC, which he owns.

Gaffney said MTV was involved in work at Arthur Treacher’s on Elm Road and Cafe 422 on Youngstown Road.

Municipal court records indicate Gutierrez was sent a bill for $105 in court costs related to the case. Court records don’t indicate whether he paid the court costs.

Gaffney has said it is typical for defendants to file returns, pay the arrearage and have their charges dismissed.

Dann resigned under pressure May 14. The resignation came as the partial result of the sexual-harassment investigation that also concluded Dann ran an office with a hostile work environment and filled with cronyism.