Youth soccer coach accused of sexual assault to stand trial
A youth soccer coach from Menifee accused of sexually assaulting a Coachella Valley girl must stand trial, a judge ruled today.
Rosario Navarro Gonzalez was initially charged with two felony counts of a lewd act on a minor, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Dec. 22, 2022 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
After being held to answer on Wednesday, Gonzalez is due back in court for a post-preliminary hearing arraignment on Sept. 18.
Deputies from the sheriff's Palm Desert station began an investigation on May 3 to investigate an alleged sexual assault on a teen girl, identified in court documents only as Jane Doe, that took place on July 18, 2021, according to Sgt. F. Schiavone of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
Doe was allegedly contacted again by the soccer coach on Feb. 5, 2022, according to Schiavone. The girl's parents subsequently reported the incident to deputies and the Palm Desert Investigations Bureau later identified Gonzalez as the suspect.
He was arrested Sept. 22, 2022, but posted $35,000 bail the same day and was released from the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, according to inmate records.
According to a declaration in support of arrest filed by investigator Katheryn Evans of the sheriff's department, Doe was more than 30 years younger than the defendant. Evans said Doe was a teenager when she first met Gonzalez, who would allegedly contact her through social media outside of practice.
It's alleged that Doe first sent Gonzalez a photo without any clothes, and continued to send them reluctantly, while Gonzalez sent her money and gift cards in exchange, according to Evans.
On July 18, 2021, Gonzalez allegedly contacted Doe while she was at her grandmother's house and met up with her in the Coachella Valley. Gonzalez allegedly grabbed and kissed her before she scooted away and, in shock, stayed in the vehicle.
Gonzalez allegedly convinced her to go to the back seat of the vehicle, where she allegedly sat on his lap facing him as he touched her, pulled up her shirt and placed her hand on his private area, according to Evans. She allegedly cried, said it was getting late and left.
In a second incident on Feb. 5, Doe was at a mall in Riverside County when Gonzalez allegedly messaged to give her a birthday present, according to Evans. It's alleged that Gonzalez gave her $200, she gave him a kiss and immediately pulled away.
Evans said that the victim erased most of her images and texts exchanged with Gonzalez, but did have a few in which Gonzalez allegedly said he loved her and apologized for his jealousy.
