Tri-Cities tattoo artist charged with raping 2 young girls

A Tri-Cities tattoo artist is locked up on $100,000 bail for allegedly raping two young girls, including once at his Benton City shop.

Noel E. Gonce, 33, was charged Friday in Benton County Superior Court with second-degree child rape, second-degree child molestation and two counts of first-degree child rape.

All of the charges include the allegation that he abused a position of trust to commit the crimes.

Gonce was arrested Tuesday, one day after sheriff’s deputies were contacted about the young girls.

One girl said Gonce first had an inappropriate conversation with her some time ago, and that eventually progressed to rape, court documents show.

The girl said the sexual assaults happened almost weekly, with the last incident this spring at the Expression Tattoo Shop, documents said.

The second girl told deputies she was first sexually abused in 2016 and it continued through this June, according to Deputy Prosecutor Brandon Pang.

Both girls allegedly gave graphic details of what happened to them.

Gonce’s business, Expression Tattoo Shop in Benton City, has no connection to Self Expressions Body Art Studio in the Columbia Center mall in Kennewick.

State business license records show Gonce previously practiced his art in Yakima and Prosser. He also was working recently at a Kennewick shop.

His tattoo signature is “Noel G,” according to his business posts on social media.

Kristin M. Kraemer: 509-582-1531

This story was originally published July 21, 2018 at 2:56 PM.