Saturday, July 28, 2012

Massachusetts State Representative Facing Charges of Assault, Kidnapping and Witness Intimidation

Freshman State Representative Carlos Henriquez seen with US Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren
A first term Massachusetts state representative was released on $1000 bail earlier this month after being accused of punching and strangling his girlfriend during an argument.

In a sworn affidavit, 23 year old Katherine Goncalves of Somerville, MA said that Henriquez picked her up in a rental car from her mother's home and after a tense conversation about their relationship, she asked that Henriquez return her home. He reportedly became agitated and began slapping and shouting at her, refusing to let Goncalves to leave the car as he drove around Boston. The affidavit also states that he attempted to choke her and took her cell phone away, removing the battery and SIM card. While Henriquez was driving near Northeastern university, Goncalves was able to jump out of the car and flag down a campus police officer. Included in the police report were the fact that officers documenteded bruises on Goncalves' wrists, arms and shins.

Goncalves and Henriquez met when the college student wanted to interview him for an upcoming term paper earlier this year. The two began dating shortly afterwards.

Although he didn't comment specifically on the charges he was facing, Henriquez has denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence that he would be exonerated. The Freshman Democrat representing Dorchester and Roxbury has even scheduled a community meeting for early August.

A government watchdog group also reported that Henriquez owes at least $800 in fines to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The fines stem from Henriquez improperly using an ATM to withdraw a couple hundred dollars of campaign funds from the bank- which is not allowable under the office's guidelines.

Henriquez is also the son of Sandra B Henriquez, an official in the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Barack Obama.

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