[DiamondSmiles]

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7ABC

11/07/2013

Phil Tenser

ARVADA, CO - Cash and methamphetamine were allegedly the preferred methods of payment accepted by a Broomfield man accused of pimping a foster child for nearly three years.

Robert Felix Gonzales, 39, faces 15 counts for pimping the girl between 2011 and 2013, the District Attorney's Office reported. The child was between the ages of 14 and 16 during that period.

Gonzales allegedly advertised the girl on Craigslist, giving her drugs and alcohol and forcing her to have sex with people she did not know in motel rooms. He allegedly accepted the payments of cash or meth.

The District Attorney reports that Arvada and Denver police were involved in investigating the case, as well as an FBI task force. As a result of their work, Gonzales is charged with trafficking in children, pandering of a child, two counts of a pattern of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, soliciting for child prostitution, procurement of a child, keeping a place of child prostitution, pimping of a child, inducement of child prostitution, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, harboring a minor and four counts of committing a violent crime.

Court records show Gonzales was a defendant in past domestic violence, escape, and forcible entry cases.

Gonzales is being held in the Jefferson County Detention Center on $500,000 bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 5.


Court Documents Cover Several Years of Incidents

The affidavit for Gonzales' arrest contains several dated sections that begin in June of 2012, when it says the victim was reported as a runaway by her grandmother. The grandmother told Arvada police that the teen had lived with Gonzales during 2011 and, "had been approved by social services."

The grandmother also later told police Gonzales was introduced to the girl by a, "foster parent and school counselor."

The document says they visited Gonzales' home but did not find the girl that day. Two days later, the document says the grandmother called again and Gonzales again denied knowing where the teenager was.

On July 20, 2012, officers visited Gonzales again and also spoke with a woman whose identity is redacted from the document. Four days later, the woman called police to admit she hadn't been truthful and that the teenager had actually been hidden in the basement behind a false wall, the affidavit says. She also allegedly provided photographs of Gonzales and the victim hugging and kissing.

When officers went to the home on July 25, 2012, the document says they found the girl in a basement crawl space but Gonzales denied any relationship with the teen.

During another meeting between officers and Gonzales, he again denied having a relationship with the girl but admitted to speaking with her and helping her with food and other needs.

Another incident involving Gonzales was also referenced in the affidavit. It was described as a felony menacing case on January 1, 2013.

Gonzales reported that he had fled from another man who pointed a gun at him after Gonzales was called to an address in Westminster by an, "ex-foster child." While speaking with an officer, Gonzales' phone rang several times and the officer eventually told him to answer the call.

According to the document, the officer heard the caller tell Gonzales, "she had been shot and lost the baby. Gonzales asked 'What baby' to which [name redacted] stated, 'It has your DNA all over it.'"

Gonzales pleaded guilty to harboring a minor on May 20, 2013. He was sentenced to three years of probation and one year of jail time, but the jail time was suspended.


Alleged Victim Speaks With Police

The affidavit says the girl was first interviewed at Arvada Police Headquarters on September 6, 2013, and the affidavit summarizes that meeting.

The teen allegedly told police her relationship with Gonzales developed in 2011. She said it became physical in October of that year and she also described several times and places where Gonzales allegedly got her alcohol or drugs.

She told officers she was in love with Gonzales and believed he felt the same way, the affidavit says. But the relationship changed, she said, when, "Gonzales began staying in motels and drinking and then Gonzales was having other men join their sexual encounters."

The document states the victim told officers Gonzales was going on Craigslist and she felt uncomfortable because of the pressure she felt. Later, she told officers that some of the postings included naked pictures of her.

She told the officers Gonzales liked using Motel 6's but also used hotels called, "No Tell Motel," "Triangle T," and a, "Howard Johnson."

The victim, "stated she and Gonzales had sex every time they went to a hotel," the affidavit says.

She also answered questions about when she ran away, when Gonzales allegedly began using methamphetamine, the time she was found in the crawl space and sexual encounters with men in hotels. The document says the teenager described times Gonzales bartered for methamphetamine and cash.

In subsequent interview, the affidavit says the girl told officers Gonzales often used the drugs he obtained in the transactions. The "Johns" were often drug dealers, she told the interviewing officers.

The teenager reluctantly estimated there were at least 30 Johns, the affidavit states. She said that Gonzales assaulted her if she tried to refuse and that he participated in approximately one-quarter of the sex acts.

One day, the teenager told officers, she decided she, "didn't want to do it anymore." Sober for several days, she jumped from Gonzales' moving Mitsubishi in Denver on July 22, 2013.

She went on to describe feeling afraid and just wanted to get out of the car. Although the officers documented some descriptions the teenager provided about Gonzales' violence, they also wrote that she did not answer when asked if he ever used threats to keep her from leaving or telling others.

Other interviews followed and during one, a detective noted the teenager had a new tattoo of a Chinese symbol. The affidavit indicates she told the detective it meant, "eternity."

A second detective realized Gonzales had an identical tattoo, the affidavit states.

[Megamel29]

That is awful. How did he even get a foster kid? This poor girl reminds me of a friend of mine that died way too soon. I hope this girl can get therapy.

[bob351]

Been pimpin since been pimpin since been pimpin since been pimpin...


Seriously though, terrible.

[Azimuth]

These kinds of stories infuriate and sadden me so much. He manipulated that poor kid so badly, took away her childhood; she will be damaged from this (every bit of it, the manipulation, sex, the effects of meth on her still developing body) for a long, long time. He needs to go away for forever.

[Flaka]

What's more sickening to me us that he even has bail. This country is all about fucking money.

[Shakey]

I did some time in foster care as a kid. Most of them were pieces of shit that were only in it for the money.

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by Megamel29 ↗

That is awful. How did he even get a foster kid? This poor girl reminds me of a friend of mine that died way too soon. I hope this girl can get therapy.

That's terrible, Meg! I'm sorry for your loss

[Megamel29]

Originally Posted by diamondsmiles ↗

That's terrible, Meg! I'm sorry for your loss

Thanks. She was a great person but after years of being abused by people who should have protected her, and using alcohol to numb everything, it took its toll. I hope the girl in this story gets help and can still have a good life.