Detectives with the Miami-Dade Police Department arrested one of their own lieutenants who is accused of molesting a young girl. The lieutenant held a gun to the young girl's head and forced her into sexual relations while also threatening to kill her brother if she didn't cooperate.
Miami-Dade Police Lt. Braulio Gonzalez, 44, was arrested Thursday afternoon at the agency’s Special Response Team headquarters for allegedly molesting a girl over a two-year period.
The young girl told a psychologist that Gonzalez molested her multiple times starting in 2011 when she was between the ages of 8 and 10 years old.
The girl told a child protective investigator that the first time Gonzalez fondled her, he pointed a gun at her head and threatened to kill her sibling if she didn’t comply.
Local News reports the victim advised the first incident occurred when she was 8 years old. She described being woken up and seeing Gonzalez pointing a gun at her head. Gonzalez then told her that if she didn’t follow him, he would kill her sibling who was sleeping in the same bedroom on another bed.
Gonzalez fondled the girl's breast, butt, and vagina over and underneath her clothing, while also forcing her to touch his genitals.
Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez said in a statement:
> “To say that I am shocked and disturbed at these serious allegations is an understatement. As I have said before, no one is above the law and I offer the victim in the case, my assurance of our commitment to a thorough investigation.”
Court documents say Gonzalez is a family member of the victim, but did not say how so.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle had this to say concerning the arrest:
> “These are extremely serious allegations involving the victimization of a vulnerable child. The charges represent a breach of trust by a law enforcement officer who has sworn to protect the community and uphold the law. All victims of sexual crimes should feel confident that their voices will be heard and the alleged crimes against them will be investigated”
Gonzalez was hired by Miami-Dade in 1999.
Gonzalez has been charged with four counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child and armed kidnapping of a child. Both felony charges carry the possibility of a life sentence. He is being held without bond.
Gonzalez is the fourth Miami-Dade police officer to be arrested within the last 30 days. Gustavo de los Rios was accused of kicking a handcuffed suspect. Lieutenant Alexander Diaz de Villegas was charged with insurance fraud. The list goes on as Ebony Nesbitt was arrested by the FBI for IRS tax fraud.
Miami is the capital for corruption.
