we're going from looking at feet M
looking at shoes stealing some shoes and
now we're touching people and breaking
into their rooms the big thing that I
got going on it's like it's like a foot
fed if you want to call it so entering
their rooms and touching their feet and
legs that's this step what would be the
next step after that what started out as
a burglary turned into a nightmare for
multiple women on what should have been
a relaxing Fourth of July weekend a
resort nestled on the coast of Lake
Tahoe Nevada became the center of this
bizarre crime spree during the nights of
June 30th and July 3rd
2022 the events earned the as salent the
nickname foot fondler the escalating
nature of his crimes leaves
investigators asking what drove him to
commit these strange acts and what was
he planning to do next I don't know why
I would do it it was really stupid you
you think you be able to stop it's
August 1st in the residential
neighborhood of Atwater California where
two investigators with the Douglas
County Sheriff's Office have traveled
over 200 miles to serve a fugitive
warrant nearly a month after the
incidents that terrorized the residents
of Lake Tahoe the investigators prepare
to question 26-year-old mark Anthony
Gonzalez leading to an unusual
conversation with disturbing insights
and jaw-dropping Revelations the
following footage has never been seen
before are you Mark yes hi Mark I'm
detective Jenkins my partner detective
salts
hello walk
this Mark
theas to chat with you a little bit
about your family vacation around the
4th of July okay um can you tell me a
little bit about your vacation uh we
just went over there you know have a
good time Fourth of July weekend we just
went over there to you know we normally
go every year Fourth of July we went
boing and just things like that wanted
to have a good time that's it nothing
too big the officer is well aware that
Mark's definition of a good time goes
beyond boating on the lake but before
she confronts him with what she knows
she first informs him of his Miranda
rights but Mark chooses to be anything
but silent so I'd like to talk to you
about some of your activities while you
were up in Lake Tahoe okay okay uh
specifically the rooms that you went
into of the women and in touching their
feet and before you you tell me that you
didn't do anything like that I'm going
to tell you just this is your one
opportunity to be straightforward with
me okay I know that it was you because
you left your fingerprints behind
according to victim statements on the
nights of July 2nd and 3rd Mark entered
two separate rooms at the resort through
unlocked sliding glass doors one woman
described waking up as her blankets were
being lifted from her body while another
was awoken by the sensation of someone
rubbing her legs and feet the officers
will soon confront Mark with more
disturbing details from these incidents
but for now they continue to question
him about his deranged motive so I don't
understand why you did those things uh
I'm trying to understand I I we've never
met you I I don't know anything about
you so can you kind of explain it to me
just out of dumbness just I don't know
why I would do it it was really stupid
well and I mean there I'm sure you can
appreciate Fourth of July there's a ton
of women up there why those rooms why
did you go into those rooms you know
every room looks the same I was it was
out of dumbness that I did it and
I don't know why I would do it just a
stupid thing okay but um do you yeah how
did you get into the rooms I mean how
did you just I guess pick the room or
decide well cuz every room looks the
same I honestly did think there were
like the rooms that I was going supposed
to come back into but they all look in
that Resort like they're all the same
room and stuff but I just went in just
through the back Mark can't seem to
decide whether he entered their rooms by
mistake or if he had a more nefarious
purpose
thankfully the officer gives no
attention to his excuse so you went in
and then um the ladies explain to me
that you were rubbing their legs and
their feet what's what's the deal with
that just a dumb thing that I have it's
like a little fetish thing that I got
going on I don't know you so explain it
to me just explain it to me no judgment
no zero judgment like a big thing that I
got going on it's like it's a like a
foot fet as you want to call it and it's
stupid have you done anything like this
before no Mark is quick to deny it but
as it will soon be revealed this isn't
the first time his self-described foot
fetish would land him in hot water with
the police for now the officer attempts
to figure out his state of mind and
learn something that may suggest Mark's
crimes are escalating what was the the
draw or what was exciting about it for
you was it the feet themselves was it
the excitement of the the I shouldn't be
doing this what what was the deal with
that uh I really don't know it's just
like wanting to go the next like the
next step you know like just I don't
know what's the first step well just
like watching hear say that you have a
foot fetish okay what kind of stuff do
you watch just like like dumb like just
random you know like regular or is there
like I I don't know is there like it's
just regular it's just well there is but
I just normally just do the regular have
you ever done anything like that like
stolen shoes taken shoes anything like
that bought I've boughten shoes from
women and stuff like online and all that
the officer isn't simply making an
educated guess about his activities
while she's keeping her awareness of
Mark's history close to the vest for now
she'll soon explain what she knows about
the case in shocking detail in the
meantime as officer Jenkins continues to
question mark officer Schultz decides to
call in for backup to prevent an
uncomfortable situation from unfolding
when a family member begins watching the
encounter from a distance hey could you
ask unit to meet us over here yeah we're
going to be doing that here shortly so
we just like for black and white we got
a family member that's out here just for
a cover for us I'm going to be honest
with you I have no idea why I would do
that it's just like a thing that I have
going on and it's I know it's not not
the right thing but unfortunately no
it's not um have you have you spoken
with someone about I was spoking to a
therapist but like youn it's been a
while yeah a few things how to try to
cope with it where a little you know
wristband and stuff to kind of cope with
that situation while the use of a
wristband is a documented tactic used by
some psychologists to mitigate unwanted
behaviors it's interesting to note that
Mark does not appear to be wearing one
when you say you're wear a wristband to
like well just like if I do get into
that stage I'll normally you know try to
wear and it'll sat me out of things
doing you know weird things like that
have you been doing weird things like
that for some time no no just watching
just watching like I said watching kind
of CES with it okay see deal with it how
long you
the
uh I say like more than seven years okay
it's been a while how old are you 26
right 26 so before you were an adult
yeah how did you I guess I guess people
just like have their own thing you know
like I guess what's the first time that
you remember having like a thing for
feet like how did you discover it I
honestly have no idea think I might have
seen something that I like during
watching something like that just stuck
with for a while yeah just never went
away after gaining some insights into
Mark's compulsions the officer circles
back to the incident that brought them
to his front door and refers to an
earlier statement he made that has some
deeply unsettling implications you know
that you have this foot fetish and then
this was CU you wanted I think you said
take the next step yeah what so entering
their rooms and touching their feet and
Light that's this step what would be the
next step after that well I mean I'm not
too sure
just something going on with like was
there was there more that you were
wanting to do that you didn't
no um please forgive the U personal
nature of my questions and I know it
might be awkward talking to a female if
you prefer to talk to I appreciate your
honesty I do no judgment from me okay no
matter what we talk about zero judgment
okay we all have our stuff right um when
you were in the rooms with the women
there was some um thought that perhaps
you
were women's rooms no just watching
touching watching touching yourself yeah
okay touching yourself okay no no just
watching then watching them yeah okay
Mark struggles to get his story straight
and the officer isn't buying it I wasn't
even sure if she was a woman to be
honest with you like I just I just went
in there and you i' have done this just
like I said to and Mark this is the part
where let's just be honest with each
other okay I don't think that you went
into a random room I I don't think that
you're into gu feet no I'm going to be
honest with you I don't think you're
into gu feet so I think that you
probably knew that it was a woman and
I'm not judging you okay I really didn't
know like cuz it was so dark I so did
you just randomly start checking doors
and find one that's unlocked or or what
how many times you doing that obviously
I know the answer but I'm going to see
if you're going be honest with me how
many times you were call doing that yeah
um going into a woman's room rubbing her
feet and her
legs or trying to this is the only first
time like first time I've done it like
there Mark's heavy emphasis on the word
there is troubling to say the least and
begs the question was it really his
first time when you were up in Tahoe I
understand that how many times while you
were there just twice okay yeah uh did
you try to get into another room but the
door was locked there was actually three
times just once that I went in for the
one that was open this would turn out to
be a lie Mark may have been stopped due
to one locked door but it did little to
slow him down as he brazenly broke into
not one but two other rooms okay you
went in the ones that were open okay so
two times and then well only went in the
ones that were open yeah
okay
um well unfortunately you kind of hit
the nail on the head going into a
woman's room without their permission
touching them without their permission
that that's a crime I'm sure you
understand that yeah I don't know why I
would do it like I said it's like stupid
no I hear you I hear you what you're
saying and it sounds to me like this is
something that you've been kind of
battling first one time yeah are are
your parents aware of the struggle that
you have they are they are do they know
what you did in Tahoe did you tell them
they do okay when did you tell them well
they found out I didn't tell them oh
they they found out how did they find
out my sister told them you know hey
there's this thing going on over there
and then they figured it out yeah cuz
that through the new my yeah okay so
your sister saw the news yeah kind of
called you out on it kind of yeah well
why don't you call
me why you make me drive all the way
here why don't you call me come on now
scared no I get it I get it and and I I
understand where you're coming from um
and unfortunately you are going to have
to to be held accountable for your
crimes okay so I have a warrant for your
arrest okay I do appreciate your honesty
thank you for the conversation I think
that goes a long way to speak to kind of
man that you are a lot of guys would
just stand here and be like I don't know
what talking about right yeah the
discussion between Mark and officer
Jenkins is far from over as he has more
jaw-dropping confessions to share in the
meantime Mark's father has seen the
handcuffs go on and has finally decided
to get closer to the situation uh dad's
coming up behind you do you want me to
inform you your dad what's going on yeah
okay hi H hi um so he informs me that
he's already spoken with you about the
things that he did in
Tahoe what he did while Mark's father
claims to be unaware of the events what
he says next reveals he knows more than
he's letting on so he entered the rooms
of multiple women so I have a warrant
for his arrest uh there's four different
charges two are burglary which is a
felony in the state of Nevada which it
didn't steal anything it doesn't matter
burglar is not stealing burglary in the
state of Nevada is defined as entering
any structure with the intent to larsy
assault battery or any other felony once
inside touching another person's body
against their will is a battery okay so
that's included in the statute of of
burglary okay um and then battery an
attempted battery so there's four
different charges I'm sorry to you know
sounds like he's been struggling with
this for quite some time so
unfortunately I I believe he's
escalating a little bit I know he's
already seeing a counselor his what he
told me but he hasn't in a minute maybe
we need to revisit
that
but that what's going on so he just
asked that I kind of fill you in and so
I wanted to I kind of noticed that when
you were talking you were trying to get
him to admit something like like a type
of char like something has to do with no
he um so he has priors here I don't know
if you're aware of his history with at
Water Police Department or Merced County
Sheriff's Office he has prior contacts
and during those contacts their their
cases um there was some information
given to to me that maybe he had been
after taking some women's shoes or
touching himself according to the
Atwater Police Department Mark was
suspected of stealing women's shoes from
porches and garages in his neighborhood
leading to one Sergeant giving him the
nickname the shoe banded but this won't
be the only shoe related incident as a
report will reveal later I do think that
he has a fetish that's kind of got the
better of him and he's having some
decision- making issues in it's
escalating we're going from looking at
feet looking at shoes stealing some
shoes and now we're touching people and
breaking into their rooms right while
Mark waits in handcuffs the second unit
officer Schultz requested has still not
arrived hey it's Schultz from the
Douglas County
again hey just want to let you know
we're code for with one in custody um is
could one of your units transport him
for us or do we need to transport him to
your facility
there's a 20 plus ETA we're 14 minutes
out from the facility we want to just go
yeah I can see you want to just put them
in
the and I'll right by yeah that sounds
good while letting a suspect sit in the
front seat beside the arresting officer
is unusual it's the following
conversation that takes place between
the two that will surely raise a few
eyebrows not going to attack me while I
drive right no well you say that but
I've had people attack me while I was
driving so I just want to make sure that
that's not a deal no you've been a
perfect gentleman and I appreciate that
thank you left the stop left left all
right you be my my driver he's promised
he's not going to attack me while I'm
driving of course why would I do that I
don't know people do silly things as the
conversation continues the questions
from officer Jenkins Veer more and more
into deeply unsettling territory if the
women had woken up you did you have a
plan as to White you were going to do
after after that just the same thing
just winging it
yeah did you have a a thought or or
fantasy of of how it might go in your
mind um no not
really did it bother you at all that
like they were sleeping next to their
husband disturbingly in both instances
the women were not alone when one victim
nudged her husband awake he reported
seeing a shadowy figure at the foot of
their bed after shouting at the unknown
person he then chased them through the
sliding door but lost sight of him
shortly after I guess not specifically
the husband but that they were next to
someone that have anything to do with
it but I guess was it more exciting for
you that way because it was a little
more scary or no it's just the same so
what part of it was exciting for you was
it the entering the room secretly was it
the actual feet and legs and being able
to touch them or what was the most
exciting for you the feet and
legs not entering or nothing like that
is there a particular type of feet or or
lights that you like
um not really probably just like ones
that are nice you know nicely
groomed and like you
know I don't know is it women's feet
men's feet all wom's Fe just women's
feet I can't honestly say I've ever
watched it what would foot consist of
just doing it with the fees all it is
it's not something big so like feet yeah
okay it's just that all right have you
ever tried it yeah I've tried it how'd
it go good yeah you enjoyed it yeah with
a consenting partner
yeah that I mean I guess that will help
me out like you know if you had a
consenting partner yeah the officer's
line of questioning is far from over and
there's still one important question
about his behavior she has yet to ask do
you think you'll be able to stop I mean
honestly if I have a partner maybe yeah
of course have you been in like a
committed relationship where that was a
thing no so you're not sure no okay I've
never actually like done that like dated
or anything like that or like you looked
for you know like so just had encounters
yeah right now what I'm doing is
actually buying the shoes from the woman
online M and that's kind of coping with
my my problem okay after after his
identity in this case was revealed to
the public one woman came forward with a
troubling story about an interaction
with Mark on the website offerup.com the
truth of the matter has not been
verified and the statements made by this
individual only reflect their opinion
according to her statement Mark was
interested in purchasing a pair of
high-heeled shoes from her but first
requested she put the shoes on and take
pictures of her feet she refused and
immediately ceased all communication
with him nine other postings on his
seller profile showed that Mark was
attempting to sell or give away various
pairs of women's sandals flipflops and
high heels which may be what prompts
officer Jenkins to ask the following
question is there a particular type of
shoe that you like um open toad shoes
anything open to like the the closed
toad or anything like that okay all
right so you got to be able to see the
feet yeah okay have you ever had the
compulsion to to hurt no feet or
anything like that or did you have any
thought of hurting the women when you
were touching their feet and legs no
okay finally arriving at the mered
police department the officers prepare
to take Mark in for processing
ironically a routine procedure will end
up giving Mark A Taste of his own
medicine look at the bottom of your feet
so I can see the bottom separate your
toes for me
perfect while it's impossible to know
what Mark may have been planning to do
next it's clear that his unsettling
obsession session was taking a dangerous
turn shortly after his arrest in Atwater
California Mark Anthony Gonzalez was
extradited to Nevada to face charges
where the crimes occurred he pleaded
guilty to two counts of felony burglary
and was sentenced to 20 years in prison
in addition Mark was ordered to pay the
families a restitution in the amount of
$435 he was later transferred back to
his home state where he remains
incarcerated at the substance abuse
Treatment Facility in state prison in
Corker in California
he will be eligible for parole no sooner
than February of 2032