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Gonzales sentenced to 48 years in sex crimes case

Nicole Maxwell
Alamogordo Daily News

Antonio Gonzales, 37 of La Luz, was sentenced to 48 years for multiple criminal sexual assault charges following a sentencing hearing June 21.

In February, Gonzales walked away from his trial during a lunch break and did not return.

The trial continued in his absence and he was found guilty on one count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor (child under 13) and four counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor. A bench warrant was also issued for Gonzalez at that time.

More:Gonzales caught after walking away from trial

In March he was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear by the Alamogordo Police Department.

Antonio Gonzales

This conviction come from an Otero County Sheriff's Office investigation that began on January 28, 2016 after the department received a report that an 11-year-old may have been sexually abused.

More:Sex crimes defendant at large, considered dangerous

The child was taken for a forensic interview where she disclosed to a forensic child interviewer with Kids, Inc., that she had been sexually abused for over a year in La Luz and Los Lunas, New Mexico. 

Gonzales’ electronics were seized as part of the investigation and several incriminating porn searches and a video that depicted Gonzales setting up a camera in the bathroom to capture video images of the minor victim undressing were found, according to court documents.

Gonzales will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his 48-year sentence before he becomes eligible for parole. Gonzales was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and if released, he will be required to serve an indeterminate parole period of a minimum of five years up to the rest of his life.

Gonzales has a jury trial scheduled for July 12 for his failure to appear charge.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on twitter at @nicmaxreporter.