KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Salinas man sentenced for arson and burglary
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SALINAS, Calif- Jose Luis Gonzales, age 25 of Salinas, was sentenced for a conviction of arson to an inhabited building, burglary in the first degree, and a misdemeanor violation of a criminal protective order.
Gonzales pled no contest to these charges on November 2, 2009.
On June 13, 2009 Salinas Police Officers responded to a structure fire on Acosta Street. Upon their arrival, the front of the house was engulfed in flames and the inside of the house was filling with smoke. The officers were informed by a resident that other residents may still be inside and officers entered the burning structure and evacuated six people. Salinas Fire Department units arrived and extinguished the fire.
An immediate investigation determined that Gonzales started the fire due to a domestic dispute with an ex-girlfriend who resided at the home but was not there when Gonzales started the fire. Gonzales was restrained from having contact with this ex-girlfriend due to a felony malicious destruction of property conviction he suffered three months prior.
Judge Robert Burlison sentenced Gonzales to three years and eight months in the California Department of Corrections.
