77-year-Old Man Indicted for Lewd Acts With a Minor

SAN ANGELO, TX – On June 18, 2020 Leo Lee Gonzales was indicted by a Tom Green County Grand Jury on the sole charge of Sex Abuse of Child Continuous: Victim Under 14 which is a First Degree Felony in the state of Texas.

On the afternoon of April 18, 2020, an officer with the San Angelo Police Department was dispatched to a residence off of Stephens St. in reference following the report of a sexual assault of a child. 

When the responding officer arrived on scene he spoke with the complainant, identified as the mother the of the victim, who stated that during a recent family meeting her daughter made an outcry of sexual abuse naming Leo Gonzales as the defendant relating to an assault that occurred in 2013.

The complainant claimed that during the time of that investigation a forensic interview was conducted with the victim, however an outcry was never made. 

Reports indicate that the reported abuse occurred during a timeframe where the victim was between the ages of 5 and 7.

Court documents state the abuse occurred at a family members residence located near the 2600 block of North St. 

On April 28, 2020 authorities conducted an interview with the victim, who is now 17 years of age, who stated she and her siblings would stay with their grandparents while the complainant was working. 

During the interview the victim advised that the abuse began when she was in kindergarten and continued until she was in the 4th grade where the defendant would often have her perform sex acts on him roughly 2 to 3 times a week while at the defendant's residence. 

On May 1, 2020, an interview was conducted with the defendant who ultimately denied any allegations of forcing the juvenile to perform the sex acts, however he did in fact admit that he would allow the child to sit on his lap and arouse him. 

During the interview the defendant stated the adolescent would often engage in physical contact with the defendants sexual organ with the hand of the victim, but only "over his clothing".

Additionally, the defendant admitted that he enjoyed the contact and that he made no efforts or attempts to prevent the child from touching him, but he would only stop physical contact with the victim if someone else was to enter the room.

Authorities confirmed these incidents would typically occur at least once a month or more during a timeframe in which the victim was approximately between the ages of 5 to 9 years of age.

Five days later on May 6, the defendant was arrested by the SAPD at 4:45 p.m. where he was booked into the Tom Green County Jail on charges related to the continuous sexual abuse of a child where the victim was under the age of 14. 

Shortly after on May 26 Gonzales was released from the Tom Green County Jail after posting approximately $75,000.00 in bond.

If convicted by a unanimous jury, a first-time offender can face life-altering consequences, including a First-Degree Felony conviction, a minimum 25-year prison term, a maximum 99-year (life) prison term, and a maximum $10,000 fine

Repeat offenders with prior sexual offense convictions face an automatic life in prison sentence.