Former Spokane Indian Reservation Resident Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Sexual Abuse Convictions
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 04, 2013 |
SPOKANE—Today, Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that United States District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Valentin Cardenas Gonzales, age 75, formerly of Ford, Washington, to a 30-year term of imprisonment and a life term of court supervision upon release from federal prison. As a condition of any such court supervision, Gonzales is required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to specific terms and conditions to prevent his access to or contact with children.
Gonzales faced several federal charges relating to his involvement with three minor children from the Spokane Indian Reservation. Following a trial in September 2013, a jury returned guilty verdicts on two charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor and two charges of abusive sexual contact with a minor. Those guilty verdicts culminated with today’s sentence.
Michael C. Ormsby stated, “I commend the efforts of the law enforcement officers with the Spokane Tribal Police Department and the special agents with the FBI who worked on this case. Their tireless efforts resulted in the successful prosecution of Valentin Cardenas Gonzales and prevented the minor victims from any possibility of being re-victimization. Prosecuting sexual abuse and sexual contact crimes are a priority for the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington. Today’s sentence plainly reflects the seriousness of these sorts of crimes.”
The Spokane Tribe of Indians has issued an order excluding Gonzales from entering or residing within the boundaries of the Spokane Indian Reservation. He was served with a copy of that order during the sentencing proceedings in federal court today. While not a member of the Spokane Tribe, Gonzales had been residing on the Reservation when he committed the crimes.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Spokane Tribal Police Department. This case was prosecuted by K. Jill Bolton, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.