Court records show Gonzales exposed himself and sexually gratified himself while a child and an adult watched. Another witness confronted him and snapped a photo before he fled the scene, according to documents in the case. Police matched distinct tattoos from that photo to his arrest records, leading them to Gonzales. Officers arrested him a couple weeks after the incident.
The case moves forward now that the grand jury has returned an indictment. Gonzales faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
For families who use that park, the case is a reminder of how fast an ordinary afternoon outing can turn into a crime scene. It also shows how a single photo from a bystander can crack a case open.
A stranger with a camera did what patrol officers couldn't do in the moment, and it's the reason Gonzales is now facing an indictment instead of a cold case.