Miami-Dade police lieutenant Braulio Gonzalez was arrested on September 13 for allegedly molesting an underage girl.
Gonzalez, 44, is charged with four counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12, and one count of armed kidnapping of a child under 12. He remains in jail until his first appearance in court today. It is unclear if he has acquired legal representation.
“These are extremely serious allegations involving the victimization of a vulnerable child,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement. “The charges represent a breach of trust by a law enforcement officer who has sworn to protect the community and uphold the law. All victims of sexual crimes should feel confident that their voices will be heard and the alleged crimes against them will be investigated. No one is above the law.”
According to news sources, Gonzalez was a member of Miami-Dade’s Special Response Team, which is deployed to serve warrants, handle hostage situations, and search for fugitives. He was arrested Thursday at his team’s headquarters.
The victim reportedly told a psychologist that Gonzalez fondled her repeatedly from 2011 to 2013, when she was between 8 and 10 years old. The psychologist notified the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).
When interviewed by DCF, the victim said the first time the alleged sexual assault happened, Gonzalez woke her up and pointed a gun at her head. He threatened to kill a loved one who was sleeping in another bed in the same room unless she followed him. Gonzalez led the girl to his bedroom, where he had her lay down on his bed and sexually assaulted her, the arrest report said.
The victim told investigators that Gonzalez fondled her breasts, vagina, and buttocks over and underneath her clothing. He also allegedly forced her to touch his penis. The incidents continued for two years.
“Today, as a result of an ongoing investigation, detectives from our Special Victims Bureau arrested a member of our agency,” Miami-Dade Police Director Juan J. Perez told the press. “To say that I am shocked and disturbed at these serious allegations is an understatement. As I have said before, no one is above the law and I offer the victim in the case my assurance of our commitment to a thorough investigation.”
This isn’t the first time Gonzalez has had a run in with the law. He has reportedly been accused of domestic violence on more than one occasion, but the outcomes of those cases were not immediately available. Court records show a woman got a restraining order against him in 2010 after she accused him of domestic violence, but the case was dismissed because she didn’t attend the hearing.
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Source: 9.13.18 Miami-Dade police lieutenant arrested, accused of fondling little girl.pdfp { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }