School Trustee Spared Jail in Spousal Abuse

An Oxnard Elementary School District trustee convicted of battering his wife was spared a jail sentence Monday.

Instead, 42-year-old Ray Gonzales was placed on three years’ probation and ordered to attend domestic violence counseling for a year.

He was warned to obey all laws and ordered not to harass his estranged wife, Nicole. At the prosecution’s request, he was also instructed to attend 15 weeks of parenting classes.

Gonzales, who retains his position as a school trustee despite the misdemeanor conviction, made no statements during the hearing.

Although misdemeanor spousal battery can be punished by a year in jail, Superior Court Judge James P. Cloninger said a jail sentence was not appropriate in Gonzales’ case. The defendant has no criminal record and did not severely injure his 29-year-old wife.

He spent one day in jail when he was arrested on the spousal battery charge earlier this year.

“What you have here is an unfortunate situation where Mr. Gonzales pushed his wife,” Cloninger said. “It certainly is not the most severe case of domestic violence I’ve ever seen.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Wendy MacFarlane said she was disappointed with the ruling.

She had urged Cloninger to impose a 30-day jail sentence, saying some time in custody was warranted after Gonzales shoved his wife into a broken window during an argument at the couple’s Oxnard home.

“I think he got off light,” MacFarlane said.