Accused Tahoe Fondler Arrested In CA: Police

STATELINE, NV — A man investigators allege entered two rooms at a Tahoe-area resort and fondled women's feet in the middle of the night over the July 4 weekend was apprehended Tuesday at his Merced County home, according to authorities.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said detectives identified Mark Anthony Gonzalez, 26, of Atwater, as the suspect using forensic techniques. Investigators allege he entered two resort condos through unlocked screen doors in the early morning hours between July 1 and 3, running the feet of his victims until they woke up and confronted him.

The investigation revealed Gonzalez was known to law enforcement in the Merced County area as the suspect in several previous cases involving female victims, including trespassing and stealing women's shoes.

Douglas County worked with Merced County detectives to arrest Gonzalez at his Atwater home on Tuesday, booking him into jail on suspicion of burglary and battery. The sheriff's office said he would be held on a fugitive warrant with $50,000 bail until his extradition to Douglas County.

"I am extremely pleased that my investigators were able to identify, locate, and arrest this individual," said Douglas County Sheriff Dan Coverley. "These types of crimes are especially alarming to a community, and being able to make an arrest allows the victims and community to feel safe again."