VALDOSTA — Valdosta police have filed multiple charges against a man accused of sexually assaulting four children.

On Feb. 27, two children under the age of 14 disclosed to a family member that a person known to them had inappropriately touched them, the Valdosta Police Department said in a press release Thursday. VPD detectives began to investigate the allegations. Through numerous interviews with those victims, detectives located two more victims.  

Detectives determined that over approximately four years, Nery Antonio Gonzalez, 36 years of age, had sexually assaulted four different children, who were under the age of 14, in various locations throughout the Valdosta City limits, police said. Throughout the investigation, detectives worked closely with the Children’s Advocacy Center, as well as the Victim’s Advocates with the District Attorney’s Office of the Southern Judicial Circuit.

On March 14, detectives obtained arrest warrants for Gonzalez. After obtaining the arrest warrants, members of the department’s Power Squad and patrol officers located Gonzalez at his residence and took him into custody, police said.  

Detectives continued to investigate the accusations against Gonzalez, resulting in numerous additional arrest warrants obtained on Wednesday.

The VPD said Gonzalez is an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, and he is being held in Lowndes County Jail for the following charges:

• 5 counts of child molestation-felony;

• 3 counts of rape-felony;

• 4 counts of aggravated sexual battery-felony;

• 4 counts of sexual battery on a child under the age of 16-felony;

• 2 counts of aggravated child molestations-felony; and

• 3 counts of cruelty to a child in the 1st degree-felony.

The investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending.

“There are no words to describe the heartbreak of the trauma that these children faced and will live with for the rest of their lives,” Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan said. “I am thankful that two of these victims were brave enough to let someone know, which resulted in the arrest of this predator. This was great teamwork between our agency and our community partners, to ensure these victims do not have to see this monster again.”

If anyone has any further information on this case or any other cases, please contact the Valdosta Police Department Bureau of Investigative Services at 229-293-3145, the crime tip line at 229-293-3091, or file a tip online at www.valdostacity.com/police-department.