TAMPA, Fla. — A 42-year-old man was arrested for impersonating a police officer and sexual battery, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Sonny Gonzalez Jr. is accused of assaulting two women at hotels in recent months by flashing a gun and a badge, Chief Lee Bercaw said during a news conference on Wednesday. Law enforcement took him into custody without incident Tuesday night at the Courtyard Marriott hotel on Easy Street.
He reportedly had a novelty police badge with a blue star in his car.
Bercaw says a woman came forward on July 14 about an incident that happened back in May when she was at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore and a man came up from behind and pulled her into a stairwell. Gonzalez is accused of flashing a gun and badge before sexually assaulting her.
Gonzalez was said to have questioned the woman before battering her and after the attack, he told her not to say anything. It is believed that Gonzalez did the same thing to another woman in February at a different hotel.
"Unfortunately, we believe there may possibly be more victims in our community," Bercaw said. "We want to communicate in the strongest manner that we take these incidents very seriously."
Gonzalez faces multiple charges, including impersonating a police officer, sexual battery, false imprisonment and others.
The chief also provided a few tips on how to spot someone who may be impersonating an officer:
- Ask for a badge number
- Name
- ID
Bercaw also said to call the non-emergency number or 911 to validate the person's identity. Others who may have encountered Gonzalez are asked to call 813-276-3544 to directly speak with someone in the Special Victims Unit.
"This criminal preyed upon women by impersonating a law enforcement officer and then sexually assaulting them. Thanks to dedicated investigation by true police officers, he will now be held accountable," Bercaw said in a statement.