Skip to main content

Facebook Jealousy Results in Torture Allegation

By Tanya Roth, Esq. on September 01, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Yet one more reason to learn how to use your privacy settings on Facebook. A Hanford, California, man is under arrest for the alleged imprisonment and torture of his girlfriend over a message he saw posted on her Facebook page. Anthony Lozano, 36, was arrested by King's County sheriffs at his Hanford home on suspicion of false imprisonment, kidnapping, torture and other charges.

According to the Hanford Sentinel, Lonzano flew into a rage when he saw a message from a friend on his 23 year-old girlfriend's Facebook account asking how she was, because he assumed it meant she was having an affair. Lozano is alleged to have grabbed his girlfriend by the hair, dragged her and threatened her, before choking her with a rope and towel.

Sheriff's Commander Dave Putnam told the Sentinel that the victim survived four days in captivity before finally escaping to a relative's house. The victim claims she was forced to call into work by Lozano to say she would not be in because she was injured.

Although the felony charges of kidnapping and torture are fairly well known, the charge of false imprisonment is slightly less well known. A charge of false imprisonment can be a tort (a civil offense) as well as a criminal offense. Like kidnapping, false imprisonment is the intentional, illegal confinement of one individual against his or her will by another. The definition of kidnapping, however, can include the element of moving the victim from one place to another.

Cmdr. Putnum also told the Sentinel the couples' 3-year-old child and Lozano's 12-year-old child were also in the house during the time the torture took place. The physical injuries to the victim were visible to the sheriff's deputies who interviewed her.

The Sentinel reports that Anthony Lonzano is currently on parole, but could not confirm what the underlying offense was. As of August 30, Lozano remained in custody at the Kings County Jail. His bail is set at $725,000.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard