Luis A. Gonzalez Jr. charged with additional burglaries committed the day before and day of his December arrest; remains jailed in Monroe County Prison unable to post bond

STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY — The Swiftwater man arrested earlier this month on a felony warrant for allegedly hiding in a woman’s bedroom closet now faces a staggering $220,000 combined bail after prosecutors filed additional first-degree felony charges stemming from two more burglaries—one committed the day before his capture and another on the day police finally caught up with him.

Luis A. Gonzalez Jr., 37, remains confined in Monroe County Prison, unable to post bond. His preliminary hearings across three separate criminal cases have all been continued to January 2026.

Court records obtained by the Pocono Review reveal Gonzalez now faces a total of 21 criminal charges across three active cases in Monroe County, including three counts of first-degree felony burglary, a charge that carries up to 20 years in state prison per count.

Second Burglary Case Emerges

When Pocono Mountain Regional Police arrested Gonzalez on December 3, 2025, in Coolbaugh Township, he was already facing charges from a burglary that had occurred just one day earlier on December 2.

But court records show prosecutors filed an entirely separate criminal case for alleged crimes Gonzalez committed on December 3 itself—the same day officers took him into custody.

That second case, filed December 4, carries $125,000 bail and includes the most serious charges Gonzalez faces:

December 3, 2025 Case (MJ-43301-CR-0000179-2025):

• Burglary — Overnight Accommodation, No Person Present (F1) — 2 counts
• Criminal Trespass — Enter Structure (F3) — 2 counts
• Flight to Avoid Apprehension/Trial/Punishment (F3)
• Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts to Cause Fear (M1)
• Resist Arrest/Other Law Enforcement (M2)
• Criminal Mischief — Damage Property (M2)
• Harassment — Course of Conduct with No Legitimate Purpose (S)

Officer Zachary Scheetz of Pocono Mountain Regional Police filed the charges.

The flight to avoid apprehension charge suggests Gonzalez may have attempted to flee when officers moved to arrest him on the outstanding warrant from the September closet incident.

The Three Active Cases

Gonzalez now faces charges in three separate Monroe County criminal cases, with combined bail set at $220,000:

Case 1 — December 2, 2025 Burglary ($70,000 bail):

• Burglary — Overnight Accommodations, Person Present (F1)
• Criminal Trespass — Enter Structure (F3)
• Stalking (M1)
• Theft by Unlawful Taking — Movable Property (M1)
• Receiving Stolen Property (M1)
• Harassment (S)

This case involves a burglary where someone was present in the residence—a more serious charge than burglary of an unoccupied dwelling. Officer Joshua S. Soto of Pocono Mountain Regional Police is the arresting officer.

Case 2 — December 3, 2025 Burglary ($125,000 bail): Nine charges as detailed above, including two counts of first-degree burglary and a flight charge.

Case 3 — September 27, 2025 Closet Incident ($25,000 bail):

• Criminal Trespass — Enter Structure (F3)
• Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts to Cause Fear (M1)
• Criminal Mischief — Damage Property (M3)
• Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact (S) — 2 counts

This is the original case where Gonzalez allegedly hid in a woman’s bedroom closet at 54 Garden Street in Stroudsburg, then slashed her tire after being forced out of the home. Stroud Area Regional Police Officer Wyatt A. Clements filed the charges.

Preliminary Hearings Scheduled for January

All three cases have seen their preliminary hearings continued multiple times. The current schedule:

• January 6, 2026, 10:00 a.m.: Both December burglary cases before Magisterial District Judge Danielle Travagline
• January 8, 2026, 11:00 a.m.: September closet case before Magisterial District Judge Kristina Anzini

Gonzalez also has a pending resisting arrest charge from a May 2025 incident that has already been transferred to Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. His defense attorney in that case, Dietrich Peter Epperson of Media, PA, filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus on October 2, 2025.

A habeas corpus hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Stephen M. Higgins.

Address Change Raises Questions

Court records show Gonzalez’s listed address has changed from Pocono Summit and Swiftwater in earlier filings to Brooklyn, NY 11206 in the December cases.

The address shift may explain the flight to avoid apprehension charge—suggesting Gonzalez may have relocated to New York in an attempt to evade the outstanding warrant from the September incident.

Potential Penalties

If convicted on all charges across the three active magisterial cases, Gonzalez faces decades in state prison:

• First-degree felony burglary (3 counts): Up to 20 years each
• Third-degree felony criminal trespass (4 counts): Up to 7 years each
• Third-degree felony flight to avoid apprehension: Up to 7 years
• First-degree misdemeanor stalking (3 counts): Up to 5 years each
• Various other misdemeanor and summary offenses

The pending resisting arrest charge at the Common Pleas level, a second-degree misdemeanor, carries an additional maximum of 2 years if convicted.

DEFENDANT INFORMATION:

• Name: Luis A. Gonzalez Jr.
• DOB: July 10, 1988 (Age 37)
• Sex: Male
• Race: White
• Hair: Black
• Eyes: Hazel
• Last Known Address: Brooklyn, NY 11206 (previously Pocono Summit and Swiftwater, PA)

CASE INFORMATION:

December 2025 Cases (Coolbaugh Township):

• Docket 1: MJ-43301-CR-0000177-2025 — Bail: $70,000
• Docket 2: MJ-43301-CR-0000179-2025 — Bail: $125,000
• Court: MDJ 43-3-01 (Judge Danielle Travagline)
• Next Hearing: January 6, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
• Arresting Agency: Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department

September 2025 Case (Stroudsburg):

• Docket: MJ-43201-CR-0000274-2025 — Bail: $25,000
• Court: MDJ 43-2-01 (Judge Kristina Anzini)
• Next Hearing: January 8, 2026, 11:00 a.m.
• Arresting Agency: Stroud Area Regional Police Department

May 2025 Case (Common Pleas):

• Docket: CP-45-CR-0000934-2025
• Charge: Resist Arrest (M2)
• Bail: $1,000 (posted May 27, 2025)
• Next Hearing: Habeas Corpus — January 22, 2026, 2:30 p.m. (Judge Stephen M. Higgins)

COMBINED BAIL: $220,000 monetary — Not posted

CONFINEMENT: Monroe County Prison (since December 4, 2025) — Unable to post bail

ATTORNEYS:

• Prosecution (December cases): ADA James Thomas Fuller Jr., Monroe County District Attorney’s Office
• Prosecution (September case): ADA Mark S. Matthews, Monroe County District Attorney’s Office
• Defense (December cases): Angela-Patricia Ramos, Esq., Monroe County Public Defender’s Office
• Defense (September case): Verina Meawad, Esq., Monroe County Public Defender’s Office
• Defense (May case): Dietrich Peter Epperson, Esq. (Private)

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TIMELINE:

• May 19, 2025: Arrested for resisting arrest in Coolbaugh Township
• May 27, 2025: Posted $1,000 bail; released
• July 3, 2025: Traffic stop in Carbon County (Kidder Township) — cited for driving in right lane
• July 14, 2025: Pleaded guilty to traffic citation; formal arraignment on May resisting arrest charge
• September 27, 2025: Allegedly hid in woman’s closet at 54 Garden Street, Stroudsburg; slashed her tire
• September 28, 2025: Stroud Area Regional Police file criminal complaint; felony warrant issued
• October 2, 2025: Defense files habeas corpus petition in May case
• December 2, 2025: Allegedly committed burglary in Coolbaugh Township (victim present)
• December 3, 2025: Allegedly committed additional burglaries; arrested by PMRPD Officer Soto on outstanding warrant
• December 4, 2025: Arraigned on all three cases; bail set at combined $220,000; remanded to Monroe County Prison
• December 16, 2025: Preliminary hearings on December cases continued
• December 18, 2025: Preliminary hearing on September case continued
• January 6, 2026: Preliminary hearings scheduled (December cases)
• January 8, 2026: Preliminary hearing scheduled (September case)
• January 22, 2026: Habeas corpus hearing scheduled (May case)

Gonzalez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.