ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY—Francisco Lopez-Gomez, a 45-year-old from the Bronx, has entered a guilty plea to first-degree abuse, a Class D felony, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced.
The incident occurred on June 15, 2017, during a family birthday celebration at Rockland Lake State Park. The victim, a seven-year-old child at the time, was assaulted by Lopez-Gomez while changing clothes in a relative’s vehicle.
The abuse came to light years after the event, prompting an investigation by the New York City Police Department, New York State Police, and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit. At the time of his arrest, Lopez-Gomez was under a probationary sentence from a previous conviction related to child endangerment in Bronx County from March 29, 2021. As a result of his conviction in Rockland County, he is required to register as a sex offender.
District Attorney Tom Walsh emphasized the guilty plea underscores the commitment to prosecuting individuals who exploit children. He assured continued efforts to safeguard children and secure justice for victims of sexual abuse. Sentencing is set for June 18, before Judge Anne B. Bianchi. The case was a collaborative effort between state and local law enforcement agencies.