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Suspect in child fondling case due in court amid wrangle over bond From $500 to $100,000: Bond in Montgomery fondling case goes back up
(about 11 hours later)
A 44-year-old day laborer, accused of fondling a 6-year-old girl in Montgomery County after he was hired by the child’s mother, is due in court Friday in the latest hearing over what kind of bond conditions should be assigned in the case. A 44-year-old day laborer’s bond was raised from $500 to $100,000 Friday, reflecting concerns that he might try to flee the area after being accused of fondling a 6-year-old girl whose mother hired him to do work at her home in Montgomery County.
The suspect, Jose Campos-Gonzalez of El Salvador, was arrested on Monday. At the Montgomery jail, a court commissioner ordered him held on a $100,000 bond. The next day, however, a judge lowered the bond to $500. The move comes after several days of legal wrangling over the terms under which the laborer, Jose Campos-Gonzalez, should be held in jail. He was arrested Monday, ordered held on $100,000 bond, had that total reduced to $500, and had it raised Friday.
Prosecutors then filed an emergency request to increase the bond. On Thursday, a judge ordered the decision put on hold — and Campos-Gonzalez held behind bars — pending a hearing set for Friday afternoon. “I see the defendant clearly as a flight risk. There’s absolutely no question about it,” District Judge Holly D. Reed said from the bench Friday.
At issue are the conditions — and how much money would have to put up — for Campos-Gonzalez to be able to leave jail pending possible trial or further court action. One key factor in Reed’s decision: In the five days that ­Campos-Gonzalez has been held in jail, he has been unable to provide a verified, local address.
Among the arguments that the bond should be relatively low: Campos-Gonzalez has no record of convictions and no record of not failing to show up for court. He doesn’t have much money. The question of Campos-Gonzalez’s immigration status also surfaced Friday.
And the county agency that monitors pre-trial suspects said he would be a good candidate for release, providing he surrendered his passport, remained at a local address and stayed away from children. During the hearing, a bailiff said that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had shown up at the courthouse. “They’re waiting for him downstairs if he’s released,” the bailiff said.
Citing those reasons, Montgomery County District Court Judge Holly D. Reed on Tuesday reduced Campos-Gonzalez’s bond to $500. He said he was “very reluctantly” doing so. The charge of third-degree sex offense against Campos-Gonzalez stems from alleged events on the evening of March 23.
Prosecutors objected, and filed their emergency motion. A woman who lives in the county’s Montgomery Village community drove to a nearby 7-Eleven to hire two day laborers to help pack her home for a move, according to police allegations filed in court. She knew the men only as Felipe and Armando, according to the records.
Campos-Gonzalez has a Salvadorian passport, but no other forms of ID or known ties to the United States — and represents a flight risk, prosecutors argued. He also hasn’t been able to give the jail a permanent address in the county, said Assistant State Attorney Deborah Feinstein. At her home, Felipe went upstairs to dismantle an armoire. The 6-year-old girl also was in the room. The man put his hands under her underwear and fondled her, according to the police.
Feinstein also cited the fondling allegations in the case, calling them “appalling.” He quickly apologized to the girl, prosecutors said, and he and the other worker left the house. The girl then told her mother that “the man in the red shirt” had fondled her, according to investigators.
On the evening of March 23, a woman who lives in the Montgomery Village community drove to a nearby 7-Eleven to hire two day laborers to help pack her home for a move, according to police allegations filed in court. She knew the men only as Felipe and Armando, according to the records. Police went to the 7-Eleven and eventually concluded that “Felipe” was Campos-Gonzalez. He was taken in for questioning and admitted to fondling the girl, court records state, and was booked into jail, where a court commissioner set his bond for $100,000.
Back at her home, Felipe went upstairs to dismantle an armoire. The 6-year-old girl also was in the room. The man put his hands under her underwear and fondled her, according to the police. As is standard for defendants in Maryland, Campos-Gonzalez had his initial bond reviewed by a judge. Reed did so on Tuesday.
“Afterwards, ‘Felipe’ told her that he was sorry,” police wrote. A Montgomery public defender put forth reasons to lower the bond: Campos-Gonzalez has no record of convictions and no record of failing to show up for court. He doesn’t have much money, the public defender said.
The two workers then left the home. The girl told her mother that “the man in the red shirt” had fondled her, according to the allegations. And the county agency that monitors pretrial suspects said he would be a good candidate for release, providing he surrendered his passport, remained at a local address and stayed away from children.
Police went to the 7-Eleven and eventually concluded that “Felipe” was Jose Campos-Gonzalez. He was taken in for questioning, admitted to fondling the girl, and was charged with third-degree sex offense, police wrote. Reed reduced Campos-Gonzalez’s bond to $500 and imposed those restrictions. He said he was “very reluctantly” doing so.
In court on Thursday, Feinstein said there was additional information in the case that perhaps Reed, the judge, hadn’t known when he set the $500 bond. Feinstein said that during questioning by detectives, Campos-Gonzalez agreed that he “could use some help” to halt his attraction to little girls. Prosecutors moved to have the bond increased — citing concerns over flight and public safety.
A defense attorney argued for a lower bond on Thursday, citing Campos-Gonzalez’s lack of criminal record and the status of the case. “These are allegations,” she said. “The state has grave concerns if the defendant is released into the public,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Deborah Feinstein, who had called the allegations “appalling.”
District Judge Barry Hamilton continued the hearing until Friday, so that it could be heard before Reed. In court Friday, Public Defender Cristina Lindsay said Campos-Gonzalez has ties to the community, with a sister who is willing to let him stay with her. Lindsay questioned the validity of what detectives described as a confession in court papers, suggesting that ­Campos-Gonzalez may have been coerced or had his words twisted.
Prosecutors declined to comment on Campos-Gonzalez’s immigration status after Thursday’s hearing. “We’re here to argue whether this man deserves the right to enjoy his liberty, with conditions, before there has been any finding that he did anything wrong,” Lindsay said.
Police ask that anyone with information about Campos-Gonzalez call 240-773-5400. She added that Campos-Gonzalez “is scared out of his mind and wants to resolve this issue and wants to come to court.”