A woman told Fresno, CA police on Saturday that she was kidnapped by two African-American men who forced their way into her vehicle and held her at gun point. She said the men told her to drive west. Once in west Fresno, the woman says she thinks she was pistol whipped because she blacked out and awoke hours later in her backseat. She was bruised, bound, and gagged. The $9,000 she had with her to pay two subcontractors who drove for her trucking company had been stolen. She ran to a nearby home for help and went to the hospital, according to police. Once there, she claimed she had been sexually assaulted and cried.
None of this was true, according to an article in the Fresno Bee posted the day after her claims.
Maria Gonzalez, 32, made up the claim to avoid paying the $9,000 to her subcontractors. She confessed after police questioned her for two hours about statements she made that contradicted potential video evidence.
“The truth is Maria Gonzalez made up this entire story for the purpose of letting someone know that $9,000 had been stolen from her — $9,000 she was supposed to pay to subcontractors,” said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer on Monday. “The reality is she didn’t have the $9,000 to pay the subcontractors, and that’s why she made up the entire story.”
Dyer said Gonzalez has been released but should be arrested soon for filing a false police report — a misdemeanor.