Parlier police make arrest in kidnapping and sexual assault case

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Parlier police say they have the man they've been looking for in connection with a kidnapping, robbery and sexual assault that happened on December 19.

They arrested 18-year-old Eduardo Giovanni Gonsalez of Sanger Friday in connection with the kidnapping of a woman at gunpoint while she was walking home.

Backed by city leaders and his officers, Parlier Police Chief Jose Flores announced Gonzalez's arrest Saturday afternoon. His mugshot is being withheld while other police agencies see if he's a match for any of their sexual assault cases.

Police say the victim is brave and intelligent, who helped their investigation by remembering what her attacker looked like. "And because of that, it gave us a very lucid picture of what went on that day and who the suspect might be," Flores said.

Police say Gonsalez approached the victim near Earl Ruth Park around 7 p.m. that Saturday night and asked her for directions before pulling out a gun and forcing her into his car.

He then drove her to a rural area a couple of miles away and sexually assaulted her. "We knew that we had a predator out there," Flores said. "And we wanted to catch this person, and there was not a day that we didn't do something in furtherance of this investigation."

Parlier police were able to get a judicial order monitor the victim's phone, which they say Gonsalez took during the kidnapping. On Friday, Flores says activity on that phone lead them to a group of field workers near Kings and Tulare counties.

One of those field workers, Gonsalez, had the phone. After the victim identified him in a photo lineup, Gonsalez was arrested.

Police also served a search warrant on Gonsalez's home in Sanger where they found more evidence, including a black SUV that matched the car the victim had described.

Gonsalez is currently being held at the Fresno County jail on $255,000 bail.