We have to start off by stating the obvious, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Due to the nature of these crimes and how shocking they are, especially to those with children – it is easy to get emotional. It is worth noting that anyone can be accused of anything and there are very few people who have actually seen any evidence related to this case.
However, if Abraham Gonzales is convicted you would expect the punishment to be severe. After all, children are some of the most vulnerable in our population and teachers are trusted by parents and the entire community to take care of them. Surely violating that trust and committing a crime against a child is going to be met with punishment right? Well, this is where the justice system often gets it wrong in my opinion.
Let’s take a look at former San Angelo teacher Cole Larsson who in 2021 was arrested for suspicion of indecency with a child by contact and improper relationship between educator and student. The prosecutors and Larsson’s defense agreed to a sentence of six years of community supervision probation with no contact with children under the age of 18. This seems to be a sweetheart of a deal considering the crime could be punished by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
This isn’t a rare occasion either. It is common for these cases to be settled for little punishment at all. There are numerous cases where the most time the individual spends in jail is to get their booking photo taken and their bond hearing. You can be convicted of crimes against a child and spend less than 6 hours in jail for it.
The citizens must voice their opinions that crimes against children should not be settled with probation, deferred adjudication or community supervision.