Gonzalez was charged with murder, kidnapping, and four sexual-assault-related offenses. He was originally charged as an adult and pleaded not guilty as trial began in November 2017. There were some controversies about prosecuting Gonzalez as an adult because he was 15 years old when he committed the murder.
California Proposition 57, passed in 2016, allows a judge to decide if juveniles can be prosecuted as adults. However, in 2019 the legislature passed, and the state Supreme Court in 2021 upheld SB 1391 which prohibits 14- and 15-year-olds from being prosecuted as adults. As a result, in April 2021, Gonzalez was sentenced to juvenile prison where he was to be incarcerated until he turned 25 in 2024, whereas if he had been prosecuted as an adult he could have faced life in prison. Following the closure of the Department of Juvenile Justice in June 2023, he was transferred to a Secure Youth Treatment facility in Sonoma County. In July 2024, a probable cause hearing was held to determine whether Gonzalez was still a danger to the community, and whether he should remain in custody for two more years. A jury found that he should not be released from custody in February 2025. This extension can be renewed every two years, for offenders who are not deemed rehabilitated. ==See also==