Fort Bliss soldier sentenced to six years for assaulting child

Specialist Baltazar E. Gonzalez, 27, has been sentenced to six years in a military correction facility and received a dishonorable discharge following the assault of his 3-year-old son. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to several charges, including domestic violence, cocaine consumption, driving under the influence, and assaulting a civilian police officer.

The incident occurred in February 2025 during a party in El Paso, Texas. Security footage captured Gonzalez repeatedly punching the child in the head and chest. A pediatric specialist testified that the blows could have resulted in fatal injuries. The child was hospitalized for two days following the attack.

While military prosecutors described the sentence as an important step in securing justice through collaboration between military and civilian agencies, the child's mother expressed dissatisfaction. She argued that the charges were insufficient, alleging that the assault included strangulation and that the defendant showed no remorse. She further claimed that military leadership had previously failed to take Gonzalez's history of substance abuse seriously.