Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Tuesday that Jose Gomez, an illegal alien from Mexico who overstayed a visa approved by the Biden administration in 2021, will spend the rest of his life in prison for trafficking a young girl for commercial sexual activity.
“This crime was preventable, and if the now-defunct Biden administration upheld the rule of law, it’s unlikely this child would be the victim of such a heinous crime,” Uthmeier said in a press release. “This predator illegal alien human trafficker coerced an innocent child into prostitution and raped her, and now he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. I applaud the work of State Attorney Gladson in securing a life sentence against this criminal alien.”
Uthmeier was joined by Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson and Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri for the announcement in Tavares.
According to the release, an investigation by the Eustis Police Department led to Gomez's arrest. He was initially charged with sexual battery, false imprisonment, and resisting an officer without violence.
By way of the State Attorney’s Office, Gomez's charges were upgraded to the following:
- Human trafficking of a child under 18 for commercial sexual activity, and
- Three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a child aged 12-15.
A Lake County jury sentenced Gomez to life in prison for human trafficking and 27 years and 14 days for each of the lewd and lascivious battery charges, which will run concurrently.
“This conviction signifies a crucial milestone in our ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking,” Gladson said. “Furthermore, it serves as a clear message: we maintain a zero-tolerance stance toward human trafficking and the exploitation of children in our community.”
