Hollister
– A local man was arrested by Hollister police Thursday on four
felony charges after allegedly imprisoning a woman in his Hollister
home and branding her with a knife.
Hollister – A local man was arrested by Hollister police Thursday on four felony charges after allegedly imprisoning a woman in his Hollister home and branding her with a knife.
Nabor Gonzalez, 21, was arrested on charges of felony domestic violence, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon and illegal possession of a firearm by a felon.
Gonzalez, who has a previous domestic violence conviction, refused to the let the woman leave his house for over a week, according to police spokeswoman Rosie Betanio. The woman also told police that Gonzalez beat her and cut her legs and inner thighs with a knife to brand her. The cuts were made “so no other man would be attracted to her,” Betanio said. Police also seized a rifle found in the home.
Although the alleged victim was not restrained by the suspect, police believe Gonzalez used fear and threats of violence to keep her from leaving the house.
“This case is more severe than most domestic violence cases,” Betanio said. “The number of days she was kept inside and the degree of violence are uncommon.”
Gonzalez was arrested at his Hollister home Thursday after a neighbor called police. Police were still finishing a report on the arrest Friday.
District Attorney John Sarsfield said domestic violence was “at near epidemic levels” throughout San Benito County. Although the prosecutor has not yet reviewed the case, he said serious additional charges may be warranted depending on the facts.
“Intentional maiming or scaring could be considered torture,” he said. “And torture carries a life sentence.”
However, unlike theft and drunk driving, domestic offenders do not face stiffer penalties for multiple convictions, Sarsfield said.
Nearly 150 people are arrested for domestic violence in Hollister each year, according to department statistics. Many more go unreported, Betanio said. And recidivism rates are high for domestic violence offenders.
“A lot of the victims are not financially stable or worry about deportation so they stay with the abuser,” she said. “But we don’t care about immigration status or report it.”
Victim Advocate Katie Fancher said that while residents are more aware of the problem of domestic violence and the crimes seem to be reported sooner, more still needs to be done.
“The law has changed dramatically in the last two decades. Domestic violence is no longer a family secret and police no longer walk away and say ‘Its a family problem,'” she said. “The level of violence or injury has decreased because of that increased awareness – a lot of which came about after the O.J. Simpson trial – but we still have a long way to go in terms of victim’s rights.”
Police Chief Jeff Miller said that officers deal with domestic violence on an almost daily basis.
“If left unchecked, it can sometimes lead to homicide,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important to deal with immediately.”
Gonzalez’s is being held at the San Benito County Jail in lieu of $95,000 bail. If convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, he could face up to four years in prison.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
