Gonzalez pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.
That means the allegations remain allegations unless and until they are established in court.
But prosecutors also alleged that investigators discovered additional disturbing material on Gonzalez's phone.
Authorities said the device contained several videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including one involving an infant or toddler. (New York Post)
The discovery significantly expanded the scope of the investigation.
What had initially centered on allegations involving one 11-year-old girl was now being examined in the context of other alleged child sexual abuse material.
Authorities also imposed restrictions on Gonzalez as part of his bond conditions. Reports said that if released, he would be prohibited from contacting the girl and her family and would be restricted from using the internet except for work-related purposes. (Us)
Meanwhile, Chandler's actions remained the subject of a separate criminal case.
The legal question surrounding the father was not whether the allegations against Gonzalez were disturbing. Rather, prosecutors had to determine whether Chandler's decision to lure the man to his home and shoot him was legally justified.
Chandler's account was that he believed Gonzalez was reaching for a firearm.
But authorities, not Chandler himself, would ultimately have to determine what the evidence showed.
This is one of the most important aspects of the story that can disappear when the case is reduced to a viral headline.
Online, the story can easily be summarized as:
“Father catches daughter's rapist and shoots him.”
The actual legal situation is considerably more complicated.
There were allegations against Gonzalez.
There was an investigation into those allegations.
There was evidence prosecutors said they had discovered.
There was a shooting.
And there were criminal charges against the father as a result.