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Fairfield County resident Francisco Javi Gomez of Norwalk was arrested in Putnam County on Wednesday, April 3 in connection with an investigation that began on Friday, March 15, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday, April 12.
According to authorities, Gomez had been enticing a 13-year-old victim to engage in sexual activity with him through social media.
The investigation into his alleged crimes, conducted by the Sheriff's Office's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security agents, and the Rockland County District Attorney's Office, culminated on the day of Gomez's arrest.
When Gomez was confronted by law enforcement on that day, he tried to escape arrest by ramming his car into undercover and unmarked police vehicles. After a short chase, authorities deployed a spike strip which stopped Gomez's car and led to his arrest, the Sheriff's Office said.
The location where this incident took place was not released by authorities.
Gomez was charged with:
- Second-degree attempted rape;
- First-degree attempt to disseminate indecent material to a minor;
- First-degree disseminating indecent material to a minor;
- Third-degree criminal mischief.
Gomez was later arraigned in the Town of Southeast Court and remanded to the Putnam County Correctional Facility with bail set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.
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