Butte County District Attorney’s Office press release
Oroville, Butte County, California — A former California Highway Patrol Officer was arraigned today in Butte County Superior Court on sexual assault charges after being arrested Wednesday by the California Highway Patrol in Oroville on a warrant authorized by the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.
Vidal Gonzalez, 21, of Oroville, who had recently graduated from the CHP academy and was assigned to the CHP Redwood City office, is currently facing four felony counts of sexual assault and one count of felony assault, as a result of an exhaustive CHP criminal investigation that began in early February.
The conduct allegedly related to conduct that occurred while he was off duty.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said that in early February, a victim reported to the Oroville CHP office that she had gone on a date with Gonzalez to the Oroville Dam when he sexually assaulted her while in her car.
The victim knew Gonzalez through previous social interactions and met with him to hang out at the dam while Gonzalez was off duty.
During the investigation, additional victims who had been allegedly sexually assaulted by Gonzalez were discovered.
Another victim was interviewed and disclosed she was hanging out with Gonzalez while he was off-duty in Chico in November of 2024 when he became violent with her and sexually assaulted her against her will.
Ramsey noted Gonzalez had recently graduated from the CHP academy, and was only an active CHP officer for about two weeks in February, out of the Redwood City Area CHP Office in San Mateo County.
Gonzalez was still living in Oroville at the time but had a residence in the Bay Area where he would stay while working.
Gonzalez was placed on administrative leave as soon as the first disclosure was made, and no longer works for the California Highway Patrol.
Ramsey further noted the victims were known to Gonzalez from previous social interactions or other relationships, and that none of the assaults occurred while he was on duty.
At Gonzalez’s arraignment today, the judge set bail at no-bail due to public safety concerns and held Gonzalez in custody at the Butte County Jail.
His next court date is May 7, 2025.
If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol Major Crimes Unit at (916) 731-6580.
Former CHP Officer Arraigned on Multiple Sexual Assault Charges in Butte County
