Whitefish man given probation for hurting girlfriend

A former Whitefish resident was sentenced to probation on Thursday for a May 2015 altercation with his girlfriend in the parking lot of Whitefish High School.

Flathead District Court Judge Amy Eddy gave Ezequial Gonzalez, 21, an eight-year suspended sentence with the Montana Department of Corrections.

He pleaded guilty in December 2015 to a single felony count of criminal endangerment as part of a plea agreement where two counts of sexual intercourse without consent were dropped.

Gonzalez is living in Clairmont, California, and intends to serve his sentence there. He is in anger management treatment and is seeking sex offender treatment.

Defense attorney Jessica Polan said that the incident, which initially was reported as a violent rape, was between two consenting adults.

“It seems this was more of an anger issue than a sex crime,” Polan said.

Polan noted that a probation sentence will require a lot of Gonzalez.

“A probation sentence is not easy,” Polan said. “You lose a lot of your constitutional rights, even the Supreme Court has acknowledged that.”

Gonzalez apologized for his actions before the sentence was pronounced.

“I’ve made mistakes and I know I’ve hurt people I called family and friends,” Gonzalez said. “I’m simply here today to ask for forgiveness.”

Gonzalez’s mother, Martha Santana, also testified on his behalf.

“I know he did something wrong and I know that everyone deserves a second chance, so your honor we are asking for that,” Santana said.

Gonzalez was given credit for 140 days of jail time served.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.