Quantcast
Channel: Geauga County Maple Leaf
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 10084

Newbury Man Accused of Raping Child (w/ Video)

$
0
0

A Newbury Township man was indicted March 2 in Geauga County Common Pleas Court on charges he raped, kidnapped and sexually assaulted a young girl.

Michael L. Gonzales, 41, of Beechwood Drive, is charged with two felony counts each of first-degree rape and first-degree kidnapping; one felony count each of second-degree and third-degree sexual battery; and one felony count each of third-degree and fourth-degree gross sexual imposition.

According to the indictment, Gonzales sexually assaulted the young girl between Aug. 18, 2013, and Aug. 17, 2016, when she was between the ages of 10 and 13, and then again between Aug. 18, 2016, and Jan. 20, 2017, after she turned 13.

Gonzales was arrested on Jan. 24 for rape and subsequently indicted on seven additional counts.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges at his March 9 arraignment before Judge Forrest W. Burt. His case was assigned to Judge Carolyn J. Paschke for future proceedings.

Gonzales’ bond was continued at $250,000 cash or surety, with the condition he not contact the alleged victim. It was the same bond set in Chardon Municipal Court on Feb. 1.

He was permitted contact with his wife, Kimberly, who is the alleged victim’s mother. At earlier proceedings in both municipal and common pleas court, she had requested permission to have contact with her husband.

Geauga County Public Defender R. Robert Umholtz, who was appointed to represent Gonzales, had argued for bond modification, noting Gonzales has no prior record.

“Certainly (Geauga County Prosecutor Jim) Flaiz has knowledge of what evidence he has obtained in this case, which we don’t have at this point in time,” Umholtz told Burt. “To the best of my knowledge, this is simply a ‘he said, she said’ case. There is no physical evidence that we’re aware. There’s certainly no admission or confession.”

If convicted, Gonzales could be sentenced anywhere from 18 months in prison to life in prison without parole.

He also would be required to register as a sexual offender for life.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 10084

Trending Articles