Hillsborough County detectives are asking for the public's help to find 22-year-old Omar Gonzalez, who they say is wanted in Tampa on multiple assault-related charges highlighted in a Warrant Wednesday post.
The sheriff's office lists three counts of battery, two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of criminal mischief of $1,000 or more. Detectives say the investigation is active and are urging anyone with information to share tips with law enforcement.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the Warrant Wednesday alert notes Gonzalez's age as 22 and asks anyone with information to call the sheriff's non-emergency line at 813-247-8200. The post uses the hashtag #teamHCSO, includes an attached document with suspect details and lists Tampa as the location for the alert.
What the charges mean
Under Florida law, aggravated battery involving a deadly weapon is a second-degree felony under Florida Statute 784.045. Criminal mischief that causes $1,000 or more in damage is a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 806.13 and can carry prison time, fines and restitution. Those classifications explain why HCSO puts these counts front and center on its wanted alerts.
Warrant Wednesday and community tips
The sheriff's office runs a regular "Warrant Wednesday" social campaign to widen searches for fugitives and generate community tips, as detailed in HCSO public affairs releases. The agency pairs those posts with its non-emergency line and Crime Stoppers contacts to collect leads from residents, a community-driven strategy that has brought in tips in earlier cases and remains a key tool for detectives.
Anyone who recognizes Gonzalez or has information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200, HCSO said on X. Residents are urged not to approach the suspect and instead provide information that deputies can follow up on safely. Gonzalez, like anyone accused of a crime, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
