Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington

I was accused of Sexual Assault by someone I have known for almost 2 years. We are both in USAF at the same base but different unit. She initiated everything and was in trouble before. We had a relationship that is complicated but others would find that we're together. Had intercourse and next day sh...e reported me. She had motive to fabricate so she could get out of trouble with her command. It's been a year since the accusation all began. The suffering and the anguish that I went through impacted how lived. I formed habits just so I could get away from the reality that my life and my career could potentially be over. I felt like an outcast when my unit suspended my security clearance. It prevented me from working around what I signed up in USAF for. I lost many volunteer and professional development opportunities that I was interested in because of I was under investigation. My work e-mail was heavily filtered prohibiting me from receiving unit wide information. I was already seemed like a guilty person. I never thought I'd be in this situation especially with Sexual Assault cases all happening recently amplified by the media. I was at the bottom state of my life. At first, when OSI began their investigation, they interrogated me for 2 hours. I didn't have Mrs. Waddington with me while I gave them my side of the story. I made a mistake of saying a word to OSI. I believed them and I knew I didn't do anything wrong. I gave them every single detail of what happen knowing and I considered that they would help me find the truth of the accusation. I even gave them a 12 page written sworn statement that was disregarded because they used the video of my "interview" in court against me instead. I also gave them my phone for evidence of text message conversation along with the evidence of apology letter on my computer from me to her. All those evidence then, were used against me during my trial. I was devastated. It was the most uncomfortable feeling I have ever felt hearing and seeing all the evidence I gave them. My initial thought of the accusation was something I never really took serious and believed that it was going to be dropped before anything else would happen. I was WRONG. When I was referred and I was actually criminally charged, that is where my nightmare all began. I thought my life and career is over. Those thoughts drained me every single day since. I asked for advice around my unit and directed me towards ADC. I wanted more than ADC to handle my case and that is when I found Mrs. Waddington. Mrs. Waddington's professional, passionate, and a projecting partner guided me through hell. When my case was referred to Article 32 in which Mrs. Waddington advised me to waive it and I did. She told me that Article 32 is nothing more than positive for the prosecutors to potentially find more charges against me. She also mentioned that the convening authority will take the case to General Court-Martial anyway so they can try and bolster their conviction rate. I felt overwhelmed hearing that. I noticed her passion when she spoke to me about what will happen with the case. Her guidance and knowledge of the system made me feel that I will be safe and secured in her hands. She uplifted me when I feel lost and confused. She gave me hope. I admired her. She gave my life and career back. My family was afflicted when they found out what I was going through. I told them my situation. They were in disbelief and worried. Mrs. Waddington's projecting partnership gave my family a sense that she will fight to the end for me. When I hired her, she wasn't alone. She has a team behind her. A team that fought hard and determined to defend my innocence in the courtroom which resulted of a NOT GUILTY verdict even when the deck was stacked against me. Without her and her team, I would of possibly spent time in jail along with a sex register under my name forever. Thank you Mrs. Waddington for all the things you did for me.

My situation began in 2016 when a female falsely accused me of sexual assault. Shortly after, I received a phone call from a police investigator, who asked me to provide my statement. I, wanting my side of the story heard, initially agreed, but decided to ask a local attorney to accompany me. This la...wyer ultimately advised against my meeting with the police and instead contacted them on my behalf and represented me going forward. The next couple of months were extremely nerve-wracking so when I received word that the District Attorney dismissed the case I thought everything was great. It wasn't. The Navy contacted me shortly thereafter and informed me of an NCIS investigation for the same allegation. They further informed me that I was placed on legal hold from my impending separation date and the nightmare started all over again. Unfortunately, my local attorney was not familiar with military law, but very fortunately, I was referred to Gonzalez & Waddington Attorneys at Law as the recognized experts in military sexual assault cases and I contacted them for a consultation. Almost immediately, I received a call from the firm's assistant, Sandra, who put me in touch with Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington for an initial consultation. Mrs. Waddington was very understanding and professional during the interview and put me at ease by thoroughly explaining the process to me and gave me the feeling that I had a seriously experienced team on my side. I definitely had a renewed peace of mind once she agreed the firm would take on my case. In the meantime, a second female band-wagoned with a new sexual assault allegation, making my case that much more complex. While I was completely comfortable with my choice of attorney, things were quickly worsening, and my anxiety was rapidly escalating. Although my interaction with Alexandra was exclusively remote via email or phone, she handled a majority of their pre-trial information gathering and discussions with me, and any time I needed to speak with her she was extremely responsive. Her husband Mr. Michael Waddington attended my Motions Hearing and was instantly impressed. After I spent the afternoon discussing the case, I knew I made the right decision hiring the Gonzalez & Waddington Attorneys at Law firm. I felt comfortable whenever I spoke with my attorneys about the situation despite the stress and angst that were constantly resident in my life. Mr. Waddington arrived the weekend before my court martial and came ready for battle. I was his and my Navy-appointed JAG's sole focus from that point forward and watching them work was simply amazing. At the end of the trial, after six terrifying hours of jury deliberation, I was found Not Guilty of all charges against me, six in total. At times it is difficult to get in touch with them, especially when your case is several months away. However, it is important to remember the best attorneys are the busiest attorneys, and Michael and Alexandra are among the top attorneys in this field. They are constantly either in preparation for a trial or arguing a case. As my case approached, communication with my JAG, Michael, and Alexandra increased exponentially and there was never any indication of their not having a complete handle on the situation. The financial price for their services seems high but is worth it, especially when you consider what is at stake: for me, it was my freedom, my name, and my future. My life, really. I can say without a doubt that hiring Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington was the best decision I ever made and I highly recommend her firm to any military member facing a sexual assault-related charge.

Alexandra defended me in a military sex assault case while I was stationed in Germany. From the beginning she never judged me but instead listened to my side and fought for me. She had me collect Facebook and other social media that showed that the person accusing me was a vindictive liar. Her... advice on dealing with OSI and the command proved invaluable and eventually led to the charges being dropped. Thanks to her I was able to continue my career with honor.

Expertise and efficiency is only surpassed by her compassionate and caring personality. I hired Alexandra to handle my child custody case. I was asking for my son to return to live with my older son and myself. She had remarried and was not providing a proper home for Dillan. The problem was, I live...d in California and my wife lived in Augusta, Georgia, where we got divorced. When I first spoke with Alexandra on the phone, she made me feel at ease. She let me know that it was difficult for a father to win custody of his 9 year old son. But she came up with a plan of action and we carefully prepared our case for the judge. She assured me that our best chance of success would require us to build a solid case. We did not rush in using emotion. We took our time and did a thorough job. I went through psychological evaluations (and so did my ex-wife), I was interviewed by a guardian, and we prepared the best case possible to prove that it my in Dillan’s best interest to live with me and my son. In the end, I was awarded custody of my son. He now lives with his brother and me. Thank you Alexandra. You are the best!