14-Year-Old Tearfully Testifies Against Former Olympic Boxer, East L.A. Trainer Accused of Molestation

Paul Gonzales, a 1984 Olympic boxing champion and county-employed boxing coach, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on July 19, 2018, as he faces eight felony counts including lewd acts on a child. (Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Jul 19, 2018 / 08:53 PM PDT

Updated: Jul 19, 2018 / 08:53 PM PDT

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The quiet sobbing of the 14-year-old witness filled the courtroom when she was asked to describe the man who had allegedly molested her numerous times in the summer of 2017.

The prosecutor returned to the question several times. The girl, red-faced with tears streaming down her cheeks, looked away.

At the defense table sat Paul Gonzales, 54, a former Olympic gold medalist and youth boxing coach at Eddie Heredia Boxing Club in East Los Angeles, who is accused of “grooming” the aspiring boxer and entering into a sexual relationship after she joined an after-school program at the county-run gym.

Gonzales was arrested in December and charged with eight felony counts, including four counts of committing lewd acts upon a minor and possession of child pornography. He has pleaded not guilty.

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