Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., today announced the sentencing of DAVID GONZALEZ, 45, to 14 years-to-life in state prison for sexually assaulting both a 21-year-old woman he followed into an East Harlem nail salon and another salon patron as he left. On June 6, 2023, a New York Supreme Court jury found GONZALEZ guilty of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and two counts of Persistent Sexual Abuse.
“David Gonzalez trailed a young woman through East Harlem for several blocks before following her into a nail salon and sexually assaulting her,” said District Attorney Bragg. “In the span of just two minutes, he attacked her, sexually assaulted another patron, and terrified everyone in that salon. Her fellow New Yorkers rallied around her and were able to chase him out of the store. I thank them all for their courage, and particularly the two survivors who bravely took the stand to testify at trial.”
As proven at trial, at approximately 1:30 p.m. on April 27, 2021, GONZALEZ began to follow the 21-year-old victim as she walked south down Lexington Avenue near East 125th Street. Fearful, the survivor ran into a nail salon near East 118th Street seeking help. He followed her into the nail salon, cornered her, and pushed her against a wall. He groped her in multiple areas and attempted to pull down her pants.
Salon workers and patrons intervened, and GONZALEZ began to leave the store. When he approached the door, he groped a patron as she entered. Salon workers and patrons chased him out with a broom and called 911. GONZALEZ was arrested two days later by NYPD officers that recognized him in a subway car wearing the same clothes from the day of the attack.
Assistant D.A.s Courtney Razner (Deputy Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Yesenia Brewster handled the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Jonathan Junig (Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit) and Nicole Blumberg (Chief of the Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau), and Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division). Assistant D.A.s Robert Ferrari (Chief of Trial Bureau 40) and Coleen Balbert (Chief of the Forensic Sciences Unit); Investigative Analysts Mary LeSeur, Alexa Underwood, Jackie Karp, Janine Nassar, Leslie Martinez, and Amira Mahmoud; and Investigators Ariela DaSilva, Sean Ryan, and Diana Keam all provided valuable assistance with the case.
D.A. Bragg thanked Detective Christopher Stack of the Manhattan Special Victims Squad.
Defendant Information:
DAVID GONZALEZ
Queens, NY
Charges:
- Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D felony, one count
- Persistent Sexual Abuse, a class E felony, two counts
Sentenced:
- 14 years-to-life in state prison
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