How Could You? Hall of Shame-James Robert Gonzales

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Burkburnett, Texas, former foster parent James Robert Gonzales, 42, “facing child pornography and child sexual assault charges was once a foster parent to two children, according to information the Times Record News obtained through an open records request to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

James Robert Gonzales, 42, was charged last week with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child in connection with incidents in 2009 — a few years before he and his wife became foster parents, according to court records and the TDFPS.

If convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child, he faces up to life in prison.

In late February, James Gonzales was charged with possession of child pornography and possession of child pornography with intent to promote, court records show.

Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possession of child pornography with intent to promote is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

He was being held Wednesday in Wichita County Jail on $400,000 in bonds, online jail records show. He was free on $150,000 in bonds for the child pornography charges until he was booked back into jail on March 5 for the sexual assault charges.

The TDFPS licensed James and Amanda Gonzales to be foster parents on Sept. 11, 2012, according to a response to TRN’s open records request from TDFPS spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales, who is no relation to the Burkburnett family.

They ceased to be licensed as foster parents on Oct. 28, 2013, after a change in family membership, according to the TDFPS.

There were no disciplinary or regulatory issues involved in the closure of the Gonzales family’s foster parent license, according to the TDFPS.

The family was licensed to care for no more than three children at once, according to the TDFPS. James Gonzales and his wife were approved to take in children ranging from 6- to 8-years-old.

The state agency declined to provide exact dates the two children were placed with the Gonzales family or the ages of the children for privacy reasons.

Accusations surfaced that Gonzales sexually assaulted a little girl about a week after he was charged with child pornography crimes, according to court documents.

Affidavits for arrest warrants gave these accounts: A 16-year-old alleged victim was interviewed March 4 at Patsy’s House Children’s Advocacy Center.

She said when she was about 6 around May 12, 2009, she stayed overnight with a friend at James Gonzales’ house. He was the friend’s father.

She awoke to find that part of her clothing was removed and James Gonzales was sexually assaulting her. When he saw she was awake, he told her to put her clothes back on and go back to sleep.

About two months later on July 12, 2009, she awoke while staying at the home to find her clothing partially removed and him sexually assaulting her again.

As for the child pornography charges, James Gonzales was swept up during an investigation to find people who were distributing child pornography.

Investigators found about 500 images of child pornography on his laptop computer although he told them there were about 75.

James Gonzales had made images available to share and confessed to investigators that he viewed and downloaded child pornography.  ”
Burkburnett man charged with child pornography, child sex assault is former foster parent

[Times Record News 03/11/2020 by Trish Choate]

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