San Francisco man guilty of torture, domestic violence for abusing girlfriend
SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco man is facing a potential sentence of life in prison after being convicted on torture and domestic violence charges for abusing his girlfriend, prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' office announced that a jury convicted 36-year-old Robert Gamero in connection with abuse that spanned at least one and a half years.
"I can only hope this verdict helps the survivor heal and feel a measure of justice. My office will do everything in our power to hold abusers accountable and ensure there are consequences for their monstrous conduct," Jenkins said in a statement.
Gamero was convicted on one count of torture, along with four counts of domestic violence with a special circumstance that he caused great bodily injury, according to prosecutors. He was also found guilty of aggravated battery, assault by means likely to result in great bodily injury and one count of vandalism.
Prosecutors said Gamero began abusing the victim shortly after they started dating in 2020.
In their statement, the DA's office noted a 2022 incident where Gamero punched, kicked and dragged the victim through their apartment, before slamming her head into a wall repeatedly and pried her mouth open. Gamero then strangled the victim and pushed her into a table after she opened a window and tried to escape from the apartment, which was on the third story.
A witness who heard the victim's screams called police for help. Officers then found the victim bleeding profusely in the back of the apartment.
Prosecutors said the woman suffered a deep laceration to the forehead, a fractured orbital socket, broken nose and contusions to her face and body.
At the time of the incident, prosecutors said the victim refused to report the abuse on scene, but later testified in court about the incident and other incidents of abuse.
"The victim demonstrated profound resilience and bravery by facing her abuser in court," said Assistant District Attorney Sheila Johnson. "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."
Gamero has been in custody since April 27, when he was remanded by the court for repeatedly violating a protective order. A sentencing date has not been announced.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, the DA's office has listed several resources including:
-Natl Domestic Violence Hotline (txt) START to 88788, call 800.799.7233
-WOMAN, Inc Support 877.384.3578
-Asian Women's Shelter Crisis line 877.751.0880
-La Casa De Las Madres Crisis text 415.200.3575
In an emergency, call 911.