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SF man faces life prison sentence after toturing girlfriend

3 mins read

A 36-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted him of torturing his girlfriend. 

Roberto Gamero was convicted of torture, domestic violence, assault, and battery. “The charges arose from six separate incidents of abuse over the course of a year and a half,” the District Attorney’s Office wrote. Gamero is now facing a possible life prison sentence. He has been in custody since April for repeatedly violating a criminal protective order.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins described Gamero’s abuse as “monstrous.”

Gamero and the victim began dating in 2020 and the relationship turned violent, investigators said.

“During one such incident, the defendant punched the victim’s face so many times that her face became unrecognizable, and the defendant refused to let her leave the apartment,” the DA’s Office wrote.

A violent episode on February 5, 2022, led to the boyfriend’s arrest. 

According to prosecutors, Gamero punched, kicked, and dragged his girlfriend through the apartment before slamming her head into a wall repeatedly and prying her mouth open.

When she tried to escape by jumping from their third-story apartment, the boyfriend strangled the victim. 

She suffered from a deep laceration to the forehead, a fractured orbital socket, and a broken nose. 

The victim refused to report the abuse to police officers at the scene, prosecutors said.

The victim, however, later agreed to testify against Gamero in court for a preliminary hearing. She described several harrowing incidents during their year-and-a-half relationship.

Assistant District Attorney Sheila Johnson said, “The victim demonstrated profound resilience and bravery by facing her abuser in court. I respect this jury for doing the difficult work of rejecting the onslaught of ad hominem attacks on the victim. She endured hours of aggressive cross-examination and attacks on her veracity in order to hold the defendant accountable and prevent him from doing this to other women in the future. She is an inspiration.”

A trial resulted in jurors returning with guilty verdicts.

“I can only hope this verdict helps the survivor heal. My office will do everything in our power to hold abusers accountable and ensure there are consequences for their monstrous conduct,” Jenkins said.

If you or a loved one is in need of support, the DA’s Office encourages you to seek help. Resources for support include:

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline, text START to 88788, or call 800-799-7233.
  • WOMAN, Inc 24/7 Support Line, 877-384-3578.
  • Asian Women’s Shelter 24/7 crisis line, 877-751-0880.
  • La Casa De Las Madres Crisis text, 415-200-3575.

Gamero will face a maximum sentence of life in prison when he is sentenced at a later date.

Charlene

Charlene is a Bay Area journalist who hails from the small community of Fresno. Drawing from her experience writing for her college paper, Charlene continues to advocate for free press and local journalism. She also volunteers in all the beach cleanups she can because she loves the water.