A 46-year-old man is facing charges for multiple sexual crimes, including rape, sexual penetration, and lewd acts with a minor. The prosecution claims that the defendant, Luis Arturo Gonzalez Monroy, raped a teenager in Santa Ana, as well as a volleyball player visiting from Japan in Newport Beach. He is also accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl and groping a woman at a Costa Mesa gym. However, the defendant’s attorney maintains his client’s innocence.
In court, one of the accusers, who was 17 at the time, testified that the defendant raped her in his van on December 30, 2020. The alleged victim stated that she was on winter break from high school, staying with her mother in Buena Park. On the night of the incident, she went out to meet some friends. It was revealed that her friends had been texting with the defendant, whom they had previously met. However, that night marked the first time she had encountered him.
According to the testimony, Gonzalez went to a convenience store with the teens and bought alcohol for them. As they drove around in his van, the alleged victim admitted to feeling “tipsy.” Meanwhile, her mother kept calling, reminding her of an 11 p.m. curfew.
“She was getting upset,” the accuser said. “I told my friends I had to leave.”
She requested her mother’s permission for her male friend, who had just turned 18, to stay with them that night. However, her mother denied the request. As a result, Gonzalez dropped off all of her friends, leaving the teenager alone with him.
“I was trying to keep my eyes open,” she recalled. “I hadn’t eaten all day, so I felt weak and tired.”
While driving to her mother’s apartment, Gonzalez claimed he needed to stop somewhere to relieve himself. They pulled over in what seemed to be an empty industrial neighborhood. The alleged victim stated that Gonzalez returned to the van, climbed on top of her, and proceeded to rape her against her will.
“I told him no, I didn’t want it,” she testified. “I was in shock and I didn’t know that was going to happen to me.”
The defendant forcefully removed her pants and committed the act of rape. The victim recounted her futile attempts to push him away, but his weight made it impossible. Weak from not eating, she felt utterly helpless and defenseless. Gonzalez eventually dropped her off a couple of blocks away from her mother’s apartment, leaving her to walk home alone and in tears.
During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Shane McDonough revealed that the defendant had also raped a 26-year-old Japanese volleyball player on two separate occasions. The first incident occurred on August 9, 2017, when the victim was trying to order an Uber ride at a bank in Irvine. Unable to get cell service, she encountered Gonzalez, who offered her a ride. However, he instead took her to Newport Beach, where he raped her on a trail. He then took her to Echo Park and Universal Studios before returning to Orange County, where he assaulted her again before finally taking her home.
The prosecutor emphasized that these crimes were reported to prevent further harm. The defendant’s DNA was found in both victims, providing strong evidence against him. In addition to these incidents, Gonzalez was accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old girl, who happened to be the daughter of his girlfriend, on two occasions in 2014. Both times, the girl told him to stop, and he complied. Furthermore, another woman claimed that in 2012, when she was 19 years old, the defendant groped her at a 24 Hour Fitness in Costa Mesa. Although he is not charged in relation to this allegation, her testimony supports the establishment of a pattern of behavior.
Jason Phlaum, the defendant’s attorney, asserted that Gonzalez occasionally lived in his vehicles to save money for his children. He worked as a “street mechanic.” Regarding the Japanese volleyball player, Phlaum described their encounter as a “long date,” referencing the numerous photos taken by the alleged victim during their time together. These images included landmarks like Newport Beach and the Los Angeles skyline.
“These photos do not indicate a rape,” Phlaum argued. “She stated that he never threatened or intimidated her at any time.”
However, McDonough argued that the victim took the photos out of fear, trying to maintain an appearance of normalcy. Phlaum also depicted the 17-year-old accuser as someone with a history of erratic behavior and substance abuse issues, emphasizing her tendency to make outlandish allegations. To support his claims, Phlaum highlighted her experiences with hallucinations and paranoid thinking, as well as the fact that her medication did not work well when combined with street drugs.
Regarding the 13-year-old girl, Phlaum suggested that her allegations were motivated by her dislike of the defendant and her desire for her parents to reconcile. The defense attorney claimed that she reported the inappropriate touching after a visit with her father.
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