Feds: Killer of 2 NYC officers impregnated guard
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal prison guard was charged Tuesday with having an illegal affair with an inmate convicted in one of New York's most notorious police killings, later becoming pregnant with his child.
Nancy Gonzalez, 29, was arrested on charges she intentionally engaged in a sex act with Ronell Wilson while working the night shift at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. She became pregnant in June, a few months into the affair, according to court papers. Gonzalez appeared in court Tuesday visibly pregnant and crying, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and was released on $150,000 bond.
"She's had a very tragic life," said her attorney, Anthony Rico. "She has long-term issues that affected her life and judgment."
Her family didn't comment as a swarm of photographers and television cameras surrounded them outside federal court. Gonzalez buried her head in Rico's shoulder while he spoke to reporters.
"These are very serious charges," he said, adding he wouldn't say whether Wilson pressured Gonzalez into the affair.
Gonzalez faces 15 years in prison if convicted.
Wilson, 30, was a young gang member on Staten Island when he was convicted in the point-blank shootings of undercover officers James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews in a 2006 illegal gun sting gone awry. The officers were both shot in the back of the head. Wilson was sentenced to death, but the sentence was thrown out in 2010 by an appeals court based on prosecutorial error.
Wilson could still face death; a new jury will decide his fate. But the replay of the trial's penalty phase has been put off as Wilson's lawyers seek to convince a judge that he's ineligible for the death penalty because he's mentally disabled.
In November, a hearing was held on the claim, and a decision from Judge Nicholas Garaufis is pending, though it's unclear if and how Gonzalez's arrest will affect the motion.
Wilson was moved to solitary confinement in August while reports of the relationship were investigated.
According to court papers, Gonzalez was seen by other inmates going in and out of Wilson's cell starting in March, meeting him in a vacant activity room next to his cell when other inmates were supposed to be sleeping.
"I took a chance because I was so vulnerable and wanted to be loved and now I am carrying his child," Gonzalez said, according to court papers.
She said she "kind of got sucked into his world," and that she "felt like, well, why not give him a child as far as giving him some kind of hope."
She confessed her relationship with Wilson to a different boyfriend, another inmate who had been under her supervision at the federal prison but is now housed at a state facility. She said it was over with Wilson, and that she was worried she would get into trouble.
After she became pregnant, Wilson's mother made contact, requesting a sonogram photo, according to court papers. Gonzalez said she was worried about the calls because she feared authorities would catch her.
"I know what's to come. I know what is going to be said about me," she said, according to court papers. "How am I going to explain this to this little boy? Mommy was in the military ... Mommy was a C.O., Mommy got wrapped up ... And then the opposite end is with a person who took lives. So how do you explain that?"
Nancy Gonzalez, 29, was arrested on charges she intentionally engaged in a sex act with Ronell Wilson while working the night shift at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. She became pregnant in June, a few months into the affair, according to court papers. Gonzalez appeared in court Tuesday visibly pregnant and crying, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and was released on $150,000 bond.
"She's had a very tragic life," said her attorney, Anthony Rico. "She has long-term issues that affected her life and judgment."
Her family didn't comment as a swarm of photographers and television cameras surrounded them outside federal court. Gonzalez buried her head in Rico's shoulder while he spoke to reporters.
"These are very serious charges," he said, adding he wouldn't say whether Wilson pressured Gonzalez into the affair.
Gonzalez faces 15 years in prison if convicted.
Wilson, 30, was a young gang member on Staten Island when he was convicted in the point-blank shootings of undercover officers James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews in a 2006 illegal gun sting gone awry. The officers were both shot in the back of the head. Wilson was sentenced to death, but the sentence was thrown out in 2010 by an appeals court based on prosecutorial error.
Wilson could still face death; a new jury will decide his fate. But the replay of the trial's penalty phase has been put off as Wilson's lawyers seek to convince a judge that he's ineligible for the death penalty because he's mentally disabled.
In November, a hearing was held on the claim, and a decision from Judge Nicholas Garaufis is pending, though it's unclear if and how Gonzalez's arrest will affect the motion.
Wilson was moved to solitary confinement in August while reports of the relationship were investigated.
According to court papers, Gonzalez was seen by other inmates going in and out of Wilson's cell starting in March, meeting him in a vacant activity room next to his cell when other inmates were supposed to be sleeping.
"I took a chance because I was so vulnerable and wanted to be loved and now I am carrying his child," Gonzalez said, according to court papers.
She said she "kind of got sucked into his world," and that she "felt like, well, why not give him a child as far as giving him some kind of hope."
She confessed her relationship with Wilson to a different boyfriend, another inmate who had been under her supervision at the federal prison but is now housed at a state facility. She said it was over with Wilson, and that she was worried she would get into trouble.
After she became pregnant, Wilson's mother made contact, requesting a sonogram photo, according to court papers. Gonzalez said she was worried about the calls because she feared authorities would catch her.
"I know what's to come. I know what is going to be said about me," she said, according to court papers. "How am I going to explain this to this little boy? Mommy was in the military ... Mommy was a C.O., Mommy got wrapped up ... And then the opposite end is with a person who took lives. So how do you explain that?"
Lol father of the year right there
You just couldn't make this stuff up.
Why do progressives think it's alright to hire women for men's prisons, and men for women's prison. Seems like every week there's a story just like this.
She established, for all to see, that any ding dong can get a job as a prison guard. This guy was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, how is it that she was able to actually be alone with him? I'd say that their security is pathetic.
Often times people's poor choices play an integral role in the tragic life they lead.
"She's had a very tragic life," said her attorney, Anthony Rico. "She has long-term issues that affected her life and judgment."
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Cry me a friggin' river. We've all had tragic events happen in our lives. There is no excuse for her behavior. if she's that screwed up what the hell was she doing being a prison guard? Judges can impose harsher sentences on convicted criminals and this would be a good reason to do so. When she has the baby, take it away and don't let her family have anything to do with raising or even being involved with the child.
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 Her attorney is going to go into court and claim it was her upbringing that caused all of this. So once again let her family have nothing to do with the child. Adopt it out to a family without the drama.
Stupid is as stupid does. Tragic life or not, she knew what she was doing.
why is it that everyone that has been caught doing something wrong says it isn't my fault, i had a hard life?
Yes, how do you explain that? Obviously capable of rational thinking, what prevented her from thinking this before she entered this relationship.