Man gets 20 years for exposing genitals at library

By JACOB LOPEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

Gregorio Gonzalez Jr.

Gregorio Gonzalez Jr.

BROWNSVILLE — A jury in the 404th State District Court in Brownsville has found a Harlingen man guilty of indecency with a child and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

In February 2013, 61-year-old Gregorio Gonzalez Jr. was accused of exposing his genitals and making sexually-explicit gestures toward 7-year-old female twins at the San Benito Public Library.

After the girls informed their mother, Gonzalez reportedly attempted to exit the library. The mother of the victims pointed him out and informed library employees of the incident.

According to a press release issued by Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz’s office, authorities found Gonzalez hiding in the bushes by the library before making their arrest.

Gonzalez’ conviction usually has a maximum sentence of 10 years. However, Saenz said, “Considering this defendant’s extensive criminal history with these types of crimes, the conviction and lengthy sentence are justly deserved.”

The press release further states that “Gonzalez previously served time in a Tennessee prison for sexual assault,” and that he “has numerous convictions for public indecency.”

Gonzalez was previously registered as a sex offender for a crime committed in Kentucky.

According to WSMV-TV in Nashville, Tenn., there was another incident in Clarksville, Tenn., in which police arrested Gonzalez on the same indecency charges where a surveillance camera caught him allegedly watching “a young female and touching himself” while inside a place of business.

Shortly after that same incident, he was accused of returning to the same store and touching himself indecently while “watching boys.”

Cameron County assistant DAs Art Teniente and Brett Pattillo prosecuted the case while Judge Elia Cornejo Lopez presided.

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/09/05/man-gets-20-years-for-exposing-genitals-at-library/

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