Bradford deputies arrested a 37-year-old Melrose man on March 21, stemming from a November 2022 claim that he attempted to assault a woman sexually.
Joemil Gonzalez was arrested for attempted sexual battery.
According to a sworn complaint, the victim told deputies she went to the defendant’s home on November 8, 2022, along with two other people.
The victim told deputies that she went out to her car to retrieve some items during the visit.
“Gonzalez followed her to her vehicle and began to ‘push up’ on her,” wrote Deputy Lakiesha Lewis in the complaint. “(The victim) stated that he tried to take her clothes off forcefully while simultaneously pushing his body aggressively against hers.”
The victim added that she told the defendant to stop while pushing him away with her arms, but Gonzalez continued to press up against her.
The woman told deputies she eventually broke free from her assailant, went back inside the home, and told her friends they needed to leave.
“Gonzalez started to apologize for his actions and asked both (the victim’s friend) and (the victim) not to say anything, although (the friend) did not see anything,” wrote the deputy.
Lewis wrote that after speaking to the victim and a witness, she drove to the defendant’s home and asked Gonzales what had happened and who had been present earlier.
Lewis added that the defendant was “agitated and very jittery,” refused to obey her orders not to re-enter his home, and claimed the victim’s friend struck him.
“Gonzalez did have a small scratch on his forehead but refused any pictures and stated he did not want to press charges,” wrote Lewis.
The deputy added that when a sergeant and lieutenant arrived at the home to question the defendant, Gonzalez refused to speak with them.
