Man Faces Life In Prison For Brutal Abuse Of Girlfriend

SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco man is facing life in prison after he was convicted this week for brutally abusing his girlfriend, according to prosecutors.

A jury convicted Roberto Gamero, 36, of torture and four counts of felony domestic violence with one special circumstance that he caused great bodily injury while committing domestic violence, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office said in a news release Tuesday.

Gamero was also found guilty of one count of aggravated battery, one count of assault by means likely to result in great bodily injury, and one count of vandalism, said prosecutors, who added the charges stemmed from six separate incidents of abuse in a span of a year and a half.

Trial testimonies and other evidence revealed that Gamero and his victim started dating in 2020. On Feb. 5, 2022, he was arrested after he punched, kicked, and dragged his girlfriend through their three-story apartment before slamming her head into a wall repeatedly and prying her mouth open while threatening to "rip her mouth open."

According to the District Attorney's office, Gamero strangled the victim and pushed her into a table after she opened the window to see if she could escape by jumping from their apartment. A witness who heard the victim's screams called police for help.

The victim was found hidden in a dark stairwell in the back of the apartment, bleeding profusely. She suffered a deep laceration to the forehead, a fractured orbital socket, a broken nose, and several contusions to her face and body, according to police.

Gamero's girlfriend initially refused to report the abuse to officers who found her. But she later testified at a preliminary hearing about this incident and other cases of abuse. She recalled that Gamero once punched her face so many times that her face became unrecognizable. He also refused to let her leave the apartment, even for food, prosecutors said.

"I respect this jury for doing the difficult work of rejecting the onslaught of ad hominem attacks on the victim and prosecution and rendering verdicts based on the evidence in the case," Assistant District Attorney Sheila Johnson said in a statement. "The victim demonstrated profound resilience and bravery by facing her abuser in court. 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 2023, when he was remanded for his repeated violations of the criminal protective order. His sentencing has not been scheduled yet, according to prosecutors.

Those who are in need of support are urged to call 911. They can also reach out to the following:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline (text) START to 88788 or call (800) 799-7233
- WOMAN, Inc 24/7 Support Line at (877) 384-3578
- Asian Women's Shelter 24/7 crisis line at (877) 751-0880
- La Casa De Las Madres Crisis at (415) 200-3575

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