By Roger Lanse

Frank Gomez, 51, of Silver City, pleaded not guilty on Monday, July 24, in 6th Judicial District Court, to an April 28, 2017, charge of criminal sexual contact of a minor (force or coercion), a fourth degree felony, according to George Zsoka, Chief Assistant District Attorney. Gomez remains in custody at the Grant County Detention Center under a no bond hold. A trial date for Gomez has yet to be scheduled.

According to an incident report, on April 28, 2017, a Silver city police officer was dispatched to J.D.’s Feed and Supply at 402 Silver Heights Blvd. in reference to a male touching a young girl.

The officer met the victim at the feed store, the report said, and she told the officer that she was in the store ordering dog food when a man who had yelled at her as she was walking into the store came in, walked up to her, touched her hip and asked how old she was. When she answered “16,” he made a lewd comment and left. A witness stated almost the same thing, the report stated, with the exception that the witness said the man touched the victim with his thigh.

The officer then viewed surveillance footage and identified the male as Frank Gomez. An arrest warrant was then issued for Gomez.