Enrique Gonzales had his terrified 7-yr-old tattooed

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 23rd, 2009, 11:11 AM

A man in Fresno took gang recruitment to a whole new level when he had his young son son tattooed with a gang symbol, police said.

The 26-year-old member of Fresno's largest street gang, the Bulldogs, held down his 7-year-old son while another gang member painfully marked the boy's belly with the group's insignia -- a paw print, police said.

"Imagine a 7-year-old boy who's already terrified because he's being held down against his will," Fresno Police Department spokesman Jeff Cardinale said. "Then to have needles repeatedly stuck into his body for a tattoo he did not even want."

The alleged tattooer, 20-year-old Travis Gorman, was arrested and charged with six felonies.

Police are still looking for the boy's father, Enrique Gonzales. He faces six charges including mayhem, child abuse, false imprisonment, battery, participating in a criminal street gang and committing a crime for the benefit of a gang. He also goes by the name Henry Gonzales.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local...tt-Police.html

Fresno Police Department spokesman Jeff Cardinale says the second grader was spending Spring Break with his father, 26-year-old Enrique Gonzalez, when he took the boy to a friend's house to get his son tattooed.

"The boy did not want to have the tattoo put on, but the father forcibly restrained the boy, pinning him to the ground while his friend who is a 20-year-old validated bulldog gang member put a Bulldog paw print on the young boy," said Cardinale.
[...]
The child was placed in his mother's custody after she filed a police report on Monday, April 20th against Gonzalez for having their son tattooed.

James Conway, a Tattoo Artist at 30/30 Tattoo in Fresno says not only is it illegal to tattoo a minor, there are also other dangers that come with what he calls 'backyard tattooing.'

"Most of them will use the same needles and there's cross contamination. You can spread the Hepatitis virus, AIDS, HIV all that kind of stuff so it's very dangerous to go get tattoos in basically somebody's backyard," said Conway.

The Fresno Police Department is offering to remove the Bulldog dog paw at no cost using a tattoo removal machine issued by the Mayor's Gang Prevention Initiative.

"But, keep in mind, anybody who's had a tattoo removed will tell you, it's very painful to have a tattoo put on and then to have a tattoo removed is even more painful. So, this young man has had to endure a lot of mental scaring and quite honestly some physical scaring as well because of this despicable act by his father and his father's friend," said Cardinale.

http://www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp...av=menu612_2_6

**penelopejo** · April 23rd, 2009, 11:15 AM

god damn it. i did it again. sorry for the groan. it was meant to be a thank. i'm just going to stop thanking for a while.

**moonlilly1981** · April 23rd, 2009, 11:25 AM

Jesus H Christ. Thank God its small but the boy is still growing. Its going to look awful when he is older removed or not.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 23rd, 2009, 11:33 AM

It looks awful already. Probably could have done a better job himself.

**Tazzzz** · April 23rd, 2009, 12:52 PM

Poor little guy, I heard it hurts twice as much to get a tat removed than it does putting it on in the first place. Not to menion it takes more than one time to get rid of it. What a Fucked up dad to do something like that to his kid.

Hopefully they will catch this Tard soon and lock him up behind bars were he belongs. I never heard of the BullDogs before, there a bigger gang than I thought, Fresno's crackin the whip down on there ass though.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--61nXDJFtU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--61nXDJFtU[/ame]

**AussieMum** · April 23rd, 2009, 07:59 PM

Given he's only 7 years old, couldn't they remove the tattoo at hospital under a general anisceptic (sp?) ??

Surely there must be a less traumatic way for this poor child.

**Rockin Ma** · April 23rd, 2009, 08:36 PM

Luckily homemade tats come right out with laser surgery.

**TheImperialCerealKiller** · April 23rd, 2009, 08:43 PM

I'm happy to hear that mom called the police, at least. That probably took some balls, being that her ex is a gang member with an ill-functioning brain.

**Insomniac** · April 23rd, 2009, 08:54 PM

Enrique Gonzales is a fucking idiot who should have his breeding equipment removed.

**missuncommonsense** · April 24th, 2009, 06:51 PM

I agree he does need his breeding equipment removed and Id gladly do it with a dull rusty knife and then Ill even throw in a free tattoo on his dumb head

**Jaded** · May 14th, 2009, 07:28 AM

The boy's father, Enrique Gonzalez is accused of holding the squirming child down during the painful procedure, while a tattoo artist did the procedure. The tattoo artist was arrested shortly after the April 20th incident. Police have been looking for Gonzalez since then. He was spotted at a motel near the Madera County town of Coarsegold on Wednesday, and police moved in. Police Chief Jerry Dyer described what happened to local news media on Wednesday night.

"The suspect attempted to escape through one of the windows but saw officers in the back of the hotel and surrendered peacefully," said Dyer.

Gonzalez is charged with six felonies including child abuse. His girlfriend, Mikayla Ramirez was also arrested, charged with harboring a fugitive. Dyer said investigators also discovered a photograph of the tattooed boy, and another unidentified child.

"That photograph portrayed graffiti writing on both of their bodies. In fact one of the victims had BDS, which is an acronym for the Bulldog Gang," said Dyer.

The writing appeared to have been done with a marking pen, and was not tattooed on the children. But Dyer believes it's a sign Gonzalez was doing all he could to initiate the children into the gang lifestyle. Dyer believes with Gonzalez in custody, the boy will have a better chance.
[...]
The seven year old boy who was tattooed is with his mother. Police are trying to identify the other child who was marked up in a photograph. Police plan to use their tattoo removal machine on the seven year old boy within the next couple of weeks.

Link

**sanityslipping** · May 14th, 2009, 07:41 AM

Good fucking god. I have an inbred hatred already towards gang members, and even more so to the ones who initiate young children to be fucking pack mules for drug deals. This just brings my hatred to a whole new level. Branding a kid, against his will.

God I hope his mother has the means to get him out of a gang infested area where they won't try to recruit him again, at a later date. Wouldn't it be a sad twist of fate, if the boy grew up to join the gang anyways? Hopefully, though, he'll grow up safe, secure and not anywhere near his sick bastard of a daddy.

**Tazzzz** · May 14th, 2009, 06:15 PM

Gonzalez, 26, of Fresno was arrested at the Black Hawk Inn, where he was with his girlfriend, Mikayla Ramirez, 20. Ramirez was booked on suspicion of harboring a fugitive and has $25,000 in warrants, police said Wednesday.

Gonzalez and the boy's mother are separated, and the boy was staying with his father during the Easter break, police said. The child was traumatized by the incident, family members told police.

Travis Dewayne Gorman is accused of etching the tattoo - a dog paw that is the insignia of the Bulldogs, Fresno's largest criminal street gang. He pleaded not guilty last month and is being held under a $700,000 bond.

Gorman is not a licensed tattoo artist but does tattoos for Bulldog gang members. It is illegal in California for a child younger than 18 to get a tattoo, officials said.

http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp...av=menu613_2_5

**Silvahalo** · May 14th, 2009, 06:56 PM

I have a deep loathing for gang members, with children involved like in this case, all involved should be subject to having a fuckin' "L" tattooed on their foreheads.

So, this young man has had to endure a lot of mental scaring and quite honestly some physical scaring as well because of this despicable act by his father and his father's friend," said Cardinale.

What is own father put him through is deplorable. A very young child already being subject to gang brutality and cruelty...branding him like a cow. I hope they throw the book at these fuckers, everyone of them and made an example of what will happen when shit like this is done. He has scarred this poor boy in more ways than any tattoo can ever do. So sorry little one. Heal completely.

**Marv** · May 14th, 2009, 07:38 PM

"The suspect attempted to escape through one of the windows but saw officers in the back of the hotel and surrendered peacefully," said Dyer.

Wow! Big tough gang member, hiding in a motel and then surrendering peacefully!!!

Tough enough to hold his 7yr old child down to be scarred for life, but just a big pussy when it comes to facing the police. Not even attempting to fight for his freedom? What will his gang bud's think of that?

**scorpiogirl** · October 2nd, 2009, 01:06 AM

FRESNO (AP) — Enrique Gonzalez wanted his 7-year-old son to have a gang tattoo, like the many that adorn his own body. About that there is no dispute.

The question that a judge says she will decide Friday is whether placing a tattoo on a minor is a permanent and painful disfigurement worthy of the potential life sentence that comes with a mayhem conviction, or is it something less?

Are there other procedures children routinely undergo that are decidedly more painful and permanent?

The tattooing case became international news in April, not just for the quarter-size dog paw print on the right hip of the young boy, but for what the paw represented: Fresno's most notorious criminal street gang, the Bulldogs.

Gonzalez and fellow gang member Travis Gorman were arrested on charges that also include street terrorism with enhancements related to gang activity. Placing the gang tattoo on the child, prosecutors allege, is a recruitment tool that furthers the gang's criminal enterprise.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.d...=g0agvins.198d

What a complete fucking IDIOT!!

Theres more at the link including the defense using ear piercing as a comparison.

**paranoiaqueen** · October 2nd, 2009, 01:31 AM

Most parents want better for their kids than they had themselves. Not this fucking piece of shit. UNBELIEVABLE.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · October 2nd, 2009, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by scorpiogirl

whether placing a tattoo on a minor is a permanent and painful disfigurement worthy of the potential life sentence that comes with a mayhem conviction, or is it something less?

I think he should get a life sentence just to protect his kid from the likes of him.

**Dneilz** · October 2nd, 2009, 07:40 AM

I think it is worthy of a life sentence. NOT only did he have this tattoo put on his child while holding him down, he may have exposed this young man to Hep, aids etc. This child will have to be watched for illness for a very long time. What does it take, judge, for it to 'qualify' a harsh sentence for those who mentally and physically put their child at risk?

If you let this man out at any time, I can guarantee you that this child will be in fear and so will his mother who contacted the police.

I sure hope this judge realizes that this man is capable of anything... in gangs it is 'one life, one love...the gang family'! All loyalty goes to the gang....

**skeptik** · October 2nd, 2009, 08:28 AM

I have seen much cooler tattoos on the playground.

**biteme** · October 2nd, 2009, 11:38 AM

Gang members are such a joke, the chicken shits of the world
Its like every loser with no balls joins a gang of other no balls to so they can have the courage to terrorize old women and children
This loser must be the bravest of the brave, he held down a 7 year old boy all by himself, he didn't need 20 chicken shit no balls members to help him
impressive.

**RaVen Blackehart** · October 2nd, 2009, 11:51 AM

Gangs are the human equivalent of a dog pack.

**malq** · October 2nd, 2009, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by RaVen Blackehart

Gangs are the human equivalent of a dog pack.

Not quite true, dog packs work alone.
Actually, the majority of gangs can be traced back to the large highly organized mafias. Mexican mafias have ther fingers into all these little guys in ways that are untraceable.

This dude was way fucked up indoctrinating his kid though. Hopefully the kid can get it removed and start over.
This prick has six felonies. Does that count as three strikes?

**shamrocker** · October 2nd, 2009, 12:18 PM

When a parent's loyalty lies with anything or anyone else besides his/her own flesh and blood, then they are FOLLOWERS. When a person allows their own family members to be used and abused in a violent manner by a friend or family member, then they are a TRAITOR of the lowest kind. If you can't put your foot down and draw the line that you (or anyone else) can never cross, then you are a CHICKEN-SHIT SPINELESS COWARD!

Did I make my point understood?

**Dakota Valkyrie** · October 2nd, 2009, 08:42 PM

Darn!

A man facing a life sentence for having a quarter-sized gang sign tattooed on his 7-year-old son's hip let out a long sigh Friday when a judge said the act was not aggravated mayhem, a charge normally reserved for crippling attacks.

Instead Enrique Gonzalez and his friend Travis Gorman will face the lesser charge of cruel and inhumane treatment of a child in a notorious case that has captured worldwide attention. With gang enhancements, they now face seven years in prison.

"Hallelujah," said Gorman's mother-in-law, Alisa Quillen, whose says her own numerous tattoos tell the "story of my life."

During preliminary hearing testimony Monday, Fresno County Superior Court Judge Hillary Chittick questioned whether a small tattoo is a permanent and painful disfigurement worthy of a potential life sentence that comes with a mayhem conviction, then asked to think it over.

The defendants were not charged with the one crime that defense attorneys agreed they deserved: applying a tattoo to a child under 18, which in California is a misdemeanor that carries a six-month sentence.

"It shows this case isn't about justice," said Public Defender Manuel Nieto. "It's about the DA's ego."

Prosecutor William Lacy declined to comment as he left the courtroom.

During questioning Monday of the boy's pediatrician, Nieto raised the issue of other painful and scaring procedures to which parents subject their children, such as ear piercing and circumcision.
[...]

In dropping the most serious of the charges, Chittick said case law on aggravated mayhem has treated it as a crime more closely associated with disfiguring beatings, shootings and stabbings.

Outside the courtroom, Gorman's family was eager to tell their side of the story, which supported the defense contention that the boy asked his father for the tattoo, saying: "I want to be like you."
[...]

In April, Gonzalez went to Gorman's house to have one applied to his chest and brought his son along.

"They didn't hold him down, he said he wanted it," said Meriah Ramirez, Gorman's girlfriend, who said she saw the encounter.

Whether the boy asked for it or not, Gonzalez' public defender, Douglas Foster, acknowledged his client was wrong.

"Mr. Gonzalez recognizes he could have made a different choice," Foster said. "As a parent myself, I realize you have to make hard decisions no matter how badly your kid wants something."

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/346/story/871041.html

**Dakota Valkyrie** · October 18th, 2009, 10:37 AM

The Fresno County District Attorney's Office has refiled aggravated mayhem charges against two Fresno men who are accused of inking a gang tattoo on a 7-year-old boy.

The move comes less than two weeks after a judge said there was insufficient evidence to try Enrique Gonzalez, 27, the boy's father, and Travis Gorman, 21, on the charges -- and it has infuriated their attorneys.

The refiled charges carry possible life sentences.

"The DA's going to ignore the courts and proceed to a public lynching," said attorney Manuel Nieto, who is representing Gorman.

Attorney Douglas Foster, who is representing Gonzalez, said he recalled this happening just one other time in his legal career.

"I'm not surprised," he said of the move. "I'm offended."

District Attorney Elizabeth Egan declined to comment directly on the case, but she said her office files charges "that are supported by evidence introduced at the preliminary hearing."
[...]

Hammerschmidt, a former deputy district attorney who is not involved in this case, said the action by the District Attorney's Office is rare -- "and somewhat disrespectful to the judge who issued the order."

"While it is truly despicable that a father would tattoo his young son with a gang symbol, it's stretching the law to charge aggravated mayhem in this case," Hammerschmidt said.
[...]

No new evidence will be introduced, but Foster said he and Nieto face the task of showing why Chittick was right to dismiss the aggravated mayhem charge.

The argument will be made mostly in court filings and between attorneys. No witnesses will be called during the hearing. No hearing date has been set.

http://www.fresnobee.com/local/crime/story/1676721.html

**Hellsbells** · May 30th, 2010, 09:29 PM

Man who tattooed boy says he did nothing wrong

FRESNO, Calif. - The gang member who inked a gang tattoo on a 7-year-old boy testified Friday there's nothing wrong with tattooing a minor as long as parents give their permission.

Travis Gorman also told a Fresno County Superior Court jury that he would tattoo his own daughter once she turned 7 if the child's mother approved.

"I love tattoos," said Gorman, who has more than a dozen of them on his face, neck, arms and body.

Prosecutor William Lacy contends that Gonzalez held down his son while Gorman inked a dog paw - the symbol for the Bulldogs gang - with the intent to promote the criminal street gang.

If convicted, they face life in prison.

Gonzalez was supposed to testify Friday, but Gorman spent nearly all day on the witness stand, clarifying his view of what happened during Easter break last year.

He said the boy wasn't telling the truth when he testified earlier this week for the prosecution that he didn't want the tattoo and that his father held him down.

"He was throwing a fit. He wanted a tattoo," Gorman told the jury of six women and six men.

Gorman said he wanted to set the record straight because he initially told police after his arrest in April last year that he didn't tattoo the boy. "Why would I tat a 7-year-old? That's crazy," Gorman said in a taped police interview, which was played to the jury Friday.

He changed his story when a detective told him the boy identified him.

On the witness stand Friday, he told jurors he lied to police to shift blame to Gonzalez and stay out of trouble. He said he was now telling the truth in court because "I'm under oath."

In the taped police interview, Gorman said Gonzalez picked out his son's tattoo. But on the witness stand, he said the boy wanted the dog paw after he pestered his father.

Gorman also testified that Gonzalez never held down his son and said the boy told him and others that he wanted the tattoo so he could "be like his dad."

Gorman said Gonzalez loves his two sons, and they love him. He testified he tattooed the boy as a favor to Gonzalez, whom he described as a close friend - "like a brother."

"It was not my intention to hurt the boy in any way," Gorman testified.

Gorman said he is no longer a Bulldog gang member, but admitted that he's been convicted of theft-related crimes in 2007 and 2008.

Behind bars, he said, he was considered a loner and had to join the Bulldogs and get gang tattoos to survive. If he didn't join, he told the jury, "it would be like a sheep in a lion's den."

In prison, Gorman said he became a tattoo artist, though he doesn't practice the art on his own body.

If set free, he said he would focus on his attention on his girlfriend, their 2-year-old daughter, his ailing father, and his tattooing skills.

The trial resumes Tuesday after the holiday break.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...ttoos-boy.html

**Dakota Valkyrie** · June 4th, 2010, 06:40 AM

A former Fresno gang member facing a life sentence for getting his 7-year-old son's hip tattooed with a gang symbol says he made "an irresponsible decision."

Testifying in Fresno County Court on Tuesday, 27-year-old Enrique Gonzalez said he never encouraged his son to join a gang, but his affiliation had influenced the boy. Gonzalez said he made "an irresponsible decision as a parent" letting his son get tattooed.

Gonzalez disputed prosecutors claims that he held his son down while the boy got the small dog paw tattoo -- a symbol of the Bulldogs street gang.
[...]

The men say they've quit the gang since their arrest.

http://cbs13.com/local/gang.member.t...2.1729400.html

The case has gone to the jury.

A Fresno jury ended its first day of deliberations Thursday without reaching a verdict in the trial of two men accused of tattooing a 7-year-old boy against his will.

They will resume deliberations Friday.

On Thursday, jurors asked for a readback of testimony from the 13-year-old sister of defendant Travis Gorman and from the investigator who interviewed her.

They also asked for the legal definitions of mayhem and disfigurement.
[...]

Jurors must decide if they believe testimony from the now 8-year-old year old-boy, who said his dad -- defendant Enrique Gonzalez -- held him down a year ago whle co-defendant Gorman put a tattoo on the boy's right hip.

Or -- do jurors believe Gonzalez and Gorman, who both testified that the boy begged for the tattoo and was never held down?

The defendants face the prospect of life in prison.

http://www.kmjnow.com/pages/landing_...573&feedID=806