PHOENIX — U.S. Marshals have arrested an Arizona man who fled the state after being accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse against minors.
On Friday, U.S. Marshals arrested 56-year-old Gordon Golding in Lake Tahoe, California. He was originally chargedwith 43 counts, consisting of multiple offenses of sexual conduct with a minor, voyeurism, and sexual abuse of a minor before failing to appear for sentencing resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
Golding used his position as a kickboxing instructor to lure teenage girls and commit multiple sexual acts with them.
According to court records, Golding went to his victims' schools and provided them with vape pens and marijuana. He would then invite them to his home where the abuse occurred.
After a search of his residence, police found at least 10 video files containing sexual acts between him and his minor victims, officials said.
In September, Golding was ordered to appear for his sentencing, where he was facing 20+ years, when he cut his ankle monitor and fled in an attempt to evade justice, according to U.S. Marshals.
Prior to September, Golding was released from custody on a $7,500 cash bond because he agreed to wear an ankle monitor, didn’t have a passport and he self surrendered to police the second time he was arrested.
The Maricopa County Adult Probation Office’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit worked with the Marshals Service in Arizona to locate and arrest Golding.
They developed information that led them to believe Golding was in Lake Tahoe, where he used an altered Arizona ID card to hide his identity.
On Friday, authorities traveled to an address where they believed Golding was living and conducted surveillance. It was then, Golding was identified riding a bike to the residence and was safely taken into custody.
He is currently being held at the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe and awaiting extradition back to Maricopa County to face his sentence.
“The arrest of this dangerous sex offender was made possible by outstanding investigative work by Phoenix Police Detectives in collaboration with U.S. Marshal fugitive task forces in Arizona and Nevada”, said United States Marshal David Gonzales.
