Arrest Made of Individual Who Sexually Assaulted Feet in Tahoe

Recently, a man from California named Mark Anthony Gonzales was apprehended for his alarming activities of sneaking into Lake Tahoe vacation condos and touching women’s feet without their consent. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada announced on Wednesday that Gonzales, a 26-year-old resident of Atwater, was arrested on Monday. He has been charged with burglary and battery offenses (KRON). According to a Facebook post by the sheriff’s officials (available here), Gonzales managed to enter two resort condos in Stateline, Nevada during the early hours of the morning by taking advantage of unlocked screen doors (KRON).

Authorities report that once inside the condos, Gonzales would position himself at the foot of the bed and touch the feet of two separate adult females. Luckily, both victims woke up and confronted Gonzales, forcing him to flee the scene. It is worth noting that the victims did not know each other (Newsweek). Gonzales was already known to law enforcement in Atwater/Merced County, California, and was suspected of other offenses such as stealing women’s shoes, trespassing, and engaging in “sexual self-gratification” during some of these incidents (Newsweek).

Investigators noticed a concerning pattern in Gonzales’ crimes, indicating an escalation in their nature (NBC News). In response to the Lake Tahoe break-ins, local officials urged residents to keep their doors locked as a safety precaution (NBC News). Forensic techniques eventually led authorities to Gonzales, who was apprehended at his residence on Tuesday. He is currently being held at the Merced County Jail on $50,000 bail and will be extradited to Nevada to face the charges (NBC News). Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley expressed relief that an arrest had been made, stating that it allows the victims and community to regain a sense of safety (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office).