‘Dine-and-dash’ dater may face 16 years in jail

A “DINE-AND-DASH” dater is facing years in prison for allegedly forcing a string of first dates to pay for their expensive meals by sneaking out of upscale restaurants after he had finished eating. Paul Guadalupe Gonzales, from Los Angeles, faces 10 counts of extortion, fraud, and petty theft against at least 10 women over the past two years. The 45-year-old would reportedly chat to women online, offering to take them to restaurants across the city, before vanishing without a word after dining. Appearing in court in Pasadena for his preliminary hearing, Mr Gonzales listened as women testified about their experiences dating him. Martha Barba said she met him for a meal at an upscale eatery called Houston’s. “I didn’t want to go. He didn’t look like his pictures. I wasn’t attracted to him,” she told the ‘NY Daily News’. “He kept saying, ‘I got you. Order whatever you want. It’s on me. Don’t worry about it’,” Ms Barba said. “He ordered steak, wine, salad, just whatever you could order.” At one point, Mr Gonzales stood up to take a call and suggested she order dessert while he stepped away to talk, she added. He allegedly never came back, forcing Ms Barba to pay the $120 (€100) bill. According to police, Mr Gonzales ordered expensive wines, steaks, lobster and desserts during more than a dozen dates in which he ran away without paying. He apparently did little to cover his tracks. Mr Gonzales has pleaded not guilty, but if convicted could face up to 16 years in jail.