Man wanted in the sexual assault of 80-year-old woman arrested in SW Florida, police say
A man wanted in the sexual assault of an 80-year-old woman in Miami has been arrested in Southwest Florida, police said.
Luis Gonzales, 24, of Miami, will now be transferred from Lee County to Miami to face charges including sexual battery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, lewd and lascivious exhibition against a person over 65, and abuse of the elderly.
“This is a prime example of the hard work detectives put in day in and out,” said Kiara Delva, a spokeswoman for Miami police. “This is a brazen and dangerous man, so we are thankful we were able to identify him and get him off of the streets before he strikes again.”
On Feb. 27, an 80-year-old woman in the area of Little Havana and Flagami at Northwest 37th Avenue and Northwest First Street just before 5 a.m. when someone approached her from behind. Police said she was dragged behind a building and sexually assaulted.
The woman then went to a nearby business and called 911. She was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation, but has since been released, police said.
Several days after the attack, Miami police put out a description of the suspect, describing him as a man who’s 5 feet, 11 inches tall and in his 30s, with short, brown curly hair, a full beard and tattoos on both arms. They also asked the community to look out for a newer model silver Chevy Malibu.
On Monday, police only said that they identified Gonzalez “through investigative means,” according to Delva. He was taken into custody with the help of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Court records show this isn’t the first arrest for Gonzalez. In 2018, he was charged with strong arm robbery and battery on an elderly person. Adjudication was withheld on both charges, according to court records, and he was sentenced to 18 months probation.
This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 7:35 PM.
