Federal Inmate Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison Assault Case

OKLAHOMA CITY – ROBERT GONZALEZ, 40, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for an assault that resulted in serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

In September 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Gonzalez for the assault.  The indictment alleged Gonzalez assaulted another inmate while serving a term of imprisonment at the Federal Correction Institution (FCI) in El Reno, Oklahoma.  He pleaded guilty on October 28, 2019.

Court documents detail that, as a result of the assault, the victim inmate sustained fractures to his left orbit and nasal bone, damage to the retina, and lost consciousness. On Wednesday, July 22, 2020, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Gonzalez to serve 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  In announcing the sentence, Judge Palk noted the nature and circumstances of the assault.

Public records further indicate that Gonzalez was convicted in the Southern District of Texas for conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens.  When this assault occurred, he was serving a term of imprisonment of 18 months in that case.  He was previously scheduled to be released from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons on September 20, 2019.

This case is the result of investigations by FCI El Reno Special Investigative Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Oklahoma City Field Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Ashley L. Altshuler prosecuted the case.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.  To download a photo of U.S. Attorney Downing, click here.