San Francisco, CA – District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of San Francsico resident Roberto Gamero (36) after a trial by jury. Mr. Gamero was convicted of torture (PC 206) and four counts of felony domestic violence (PC 273.5(a)) with one special circumstance that he caused great bodily injury while committing domestic violence (PC 12022.7(e)).  He was also convicted of one count of aggravated battery (PC 243(d)), one count of assault by means likely to result in great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(4)) and one count of vandalism (PC 594(b)).  The charges arose from six separate incidents of abuse over the course of a year and a half.

“I would like to thank the jury for their service,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.  “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.”

According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, the abuse began shortly after the Mr. Gamero and the victim started dating in 2020.  An especially violent episode of severe and varied violence on February 5, 2022, led to the Defendant’s arrest. That night, he punched, kicked, and dragged the victim through the apartment before slamming her head into a wall repeatedly and prying her mouth open while threatening to “rip her mouth open.” He then strangled her and pushed her into a table after she opened the window to see if she could escape by jumping from their third-story apartment.  A witness heard the victim’s screams called police for help.  Police found the victim bleeding profusely, hidden in a dark stairwell in the back of the apartment.  She suffered a deep laceration to the forehead, a fractured orbital socket, a broken nose, and several contusions to her face and body.  Although she refused to report the abuse on-scene, she later testified at the preliminary hearing to this, and several prior incidents of abuse over the previous year and a half.  During one such incident, the Defendant punched the victim’s face so many times that her face became unrecognizable, and the Defendant refused to let her leave the apartment, even for food.

The case against Mr. Gamero was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sheila Johnson with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Wagner, former Assistant District Attorney Julia Gonzalez, and paralegal Lena Ku.  Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against Mr. Gamero based on the careful investigative work of DAI Rosanna Figueroa, and SFPD’s Special Victims’ Unit.

“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,” said Assistant District Attorney Sheila Johnson.  “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.”

Mr. Gamero has been in custody since April 27, 2023, when he was remanded by order of the court for his repeated violations of the criminal protective order.  He faces life in State Prison. Sentencing has not been scheduled yet.

If you or a loved one is in need of support, please seek help. In an emergency call 9-1-1.

Below are additional resources for support:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline (text) START to 88788 or call 800.799.7233
• WOMAN, Inc 24/7 Support Line, 877.384.3578
• Asian Women’s Shelter 24/7 crisis line, 877.751.0880
• La Casa De Las Madres Crisis text, 415.200.3575

Court Number: 22001288

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