Full Notification

HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA – November 18, 2021- On November 17, 2021 Hollister Police Detectives arrested Hollister resident Gilbert Cortez (74 yrs.) on several charges of sexual assault of male juveniles dating back to the early 1990’s -2000’s.
 
On October 12, 2021 one of Cortez’s victims contacted the Hollister Police Department to report the crimes committed against him when he was a juvenile. After the initial report was taken by Hollister Police Officer Macierz it was forwarded to Detectives for further investigation. Detective Morgan received the report and began to conduct an investigation into the alleged sexual assaults.
 
Detective Morgan began to follow up on the suspect and was able to find several previous reports of sexual assaults against minors from the 1990’s and 2000’s with Cortez as the suspect. However, Cortez was never arrested or charged for those crimes because the statute of limitations (based on how long ago they had occurred and the criminal statutes at the time) had expired.
 
Knowing the magnitude of the crimes reported and the number of possible victims of unreported crimes, Detective Morgan solicited the help of Detective T. Torres and the District Attorney’s Office.
 
Detective Morgan and T. Torres began contacting previously documented victims and the possible victims named by others involed. Due to some of the alleged crimes dating back to the 1980’s it was a difficult task finding the people involved and those willing to come forward. Detective Morgan and T. Torres were able to find two victims who revealed alleged sexual crimes that had reportedly been committed against them by Cortez and  that were within the statute of limitations.
 
With the help of the District Attorney’s Office, Detective Morgan and T. Torres were able to identify applicable crimes within the criminal statues. Now that Detective Morgan and T. Torres had prosecutable charges on Cortez they began to coordinate taking him into custody.
 
On November 17, 2021 a search warrant for Cortez’s property was drafted and approved. Detective Morgan and T. Torres went to Cortez’s residence in the 100 block of College and took him into custody. Hollister Police Detectives, Hollister Police Officers, and United Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) agents served the search warrant on Cortez’s residence.
 
Cortez was booked into the San Benito County Jail on two separate allegations of sexual assault. The first charge was penal code section 288(a) (Lewd or lascivious acts on a minor) from crimes alleged between 1989 to early 1990’s with a bail amount of $1,000,000. The second charge was penal code section 288.5(a) (continuous sexual abuse of a minor) from crimes alleged between mid-1990’s to early 2000’s with a bail amount of $1,000,000.
 
The Hollister Police Department would like to thank the victims who have come forward and are willing to trust us in conducting a complete investigation and to seek justice on their behalf.     
 
The investigation has revealed there may be other unreported similar crimes committed against other children dating back to the early 1980’s.  Cortez has lived and been involved in the Hollister community coaching Little League and various other community functions since the 1970’s. It is important for anyone with information or who is aware of any victims of sexual crimes allegedly committed by Cortez to come forward and assist us in furthering our investigation.
 
The Hollister Police Department knows victims of sexual abuse often suffer in silence through difficult and painful memories.  The effects of this abuse can drastically alter their lives and continue to affect them today.  Many would not want to relive these memories or events, but we urge anyone who may have been victimized by Cortez or anyone else to stand with the victims who have come forward thus far. 
 
The Hollister Police Department stands ready to help and seek justice for victims of sexual assaults.  We will work with our law enforcement partners to hold those responsible accountable for their actions; no matter how long it has been. 
 
If you are a victim of an unreported sexual assault and you don’t feel ready to come forward, there are resources available to victims of sexually related crimes and would like to provide those here.
 
            Community Solutions: 1-877-363-7238, www.communitysolutions.org
           
Victim Services Unit:   1-831-634-1397
           
Rape, Abuse, Incest, National Network:  1-800-656-HOPE, www.rainn.org
 
Victim Compensation Program: 1-800-777-9229, www.victimcompensation.ca.gov
 
San Benito County District Attorney’s Office Victim Advocates: 1-831-636-4120
 
This is an ongoing investigation.  Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Morgan at 831-638-4331. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at (800) 78-CRIME. Information provided to WeTip may qualify for a reward.
 
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Prepared by: Sergeant, M. Paddy
Approved by: Carlos Reynoso, Chief of Police