Coral Springs man arrested on false imprisonment and battery charges in incident involving his niece after police investigation into alleged unlawful detention and repeated unwanted contact
Coral Springs, Florida – A 55-year-old Coral Springs man was arrested and charged after police say he falsely imprisoned and battered his niece during an incident at a shared apartment complex earlier this month, according to authorities.
Police identified the suspect as Roberto Jose Gonzalez, who was taken into custody following an investigation into events reported on May 8 at around 11 p.m. Officers responded to an apartment complex after receiving a call about a disturbance involving unwanted physical contact inside a laundry room.
According to the arrest affidavit, the victim told police that Gonzalez, who is her uncle and also her mother’s boyfriend, prevented her from leaving the laundry room and touched her without consent. The report states the encounter involved repeated attempts by the victim to exit the space, which were allegedly blocked by the suspect.
Investigators said the victim reported that Gonzalez entered the laundry room and began making unwanted physical contact, including touching her waist, breast, and buttocks over clothing. She also told police that he placed her hand on his penis over their clothes during the incident.
The affidavit further states that when the victim attempted to leave multiple times, Gonzalez blocked the doorway with his body and grabbed her arms to prevent her from exiting. Police noted that he reportedly left and returned to the laundry room several times during the encounter.
The victim also told authorities that this was not an isolated incident. According to the affidavit, she said similar unwanted touching had occurred repeatedly over the past three years inside the same apartment.
A witness, identified as the victim’s twin sister, told police she observed Gonzalez with his hands on the victim during the incident, supporting parts of the victim’s account. Investigators also said the victim’s mother provided corroborating information to police through text messages, which helped support the investigation.
Following the report, officers located and arrested Gonzalez at the apartment complex on Davis Road. He was charged with one count of false imprisonment and one count of battery.
Police said he was later booked into the Broward County Main Jail. Court records indicate he was released after posting a $11,500 bond.
Authorities have not released additional details about the ongoing legal proceedings, and the case will now move forward through the Broward County court system.
Officials say cases involving allegations of domestic or family-related violence are taken seriously, particularly when they involve claims of repeated conduct over time. In this case, investigators relied on statements from the victim, a corroborating witness, and supporting messages to build the arrest affidavit.
As the case progresses, Gonzalez will be required to appear in court to respond to the charges. If convicted, he could face serious legal consequences under Florida law for both false imprisonment and battery.
For now, the investigation has concluded with his arrest, but court proceedings are expected to determine the next steps in the case.
