Foot Fondler Arrested

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced that a series of unsettling incidents occurred in the early morning hours of July 1-3 at two resort condominiums in Stateline, near Lake Tahoe. A man, later identified as 26-year-old Mark Anthony Gonzales from Atwater, California, gained entry into the residences through unlocked screen doors. Once inside, he proceeded to rub the feet of two different women as they slept. The women woke up during these incidents and confronted the intruder, who promptly fled the scene.

The suspect was identified through forensic techniques during an ongoing investigation. Gonzales was already known to local law enforcement in the Atwater/Merced County area of California. His criminal record included a variety of offenses, such as theft of women’s shoes, trespassing, and sexual self-gratification during some of these incidents. Investigators from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) noted an escalating pattern in Gonzales’ criminal behavior.

On August 1, 2023, DCSO investigators, with the help of detectives from the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Gonzales at his home. He was charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of battery and was booked into the Merced County Jail. Gonzales is being held on a fugitive warrant with a bail set at $50,000. He will remain in custody until he is extradited back to Douglas County, Nevada.

Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley expressed his satisfaction with the investigation’s outcome. He emphasized the importance of such arrests in maintaining community safety and restoring a sense of security among the victims and the public.

The incidents serve as a stark reminder of the importance of home security, even in seemingly safe communities. The fact that Gonzales was able to enter the residences through unlocked doors underscores the need for residents to take basic precautions to protect their homes.

The collaboration between the DCSO and the Merced County Sheriff’s Office was instrumental in identifying and apprehending the suspect.