A Central Florida man was recently found guilty of human trafficking a child.
A jury convicted Jose Gomez, 31, of human trafficking of a child for commercial sexual activity and three counts of lewd or lascivious battery. Judge Cary F. Rada presided over the trial and sentenced the defendant to LIFE in prison, as mandated by law.
At a recent press conference, State Attorney Bill Gladson was joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri to deliver an important statement about a recent conviction.
“This conviction signifies a crucial milestone in our ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking. Furthermore, it serves as a clear message: we maintain a zero-tolerance stance toward human trafficking and the exploitation of children in our community,” said Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson.
On July 15, 2024, police from the Eustis Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 hang-up call coming from an apartment off North Prescott Street in Eustis, Florida. Law enforcement attempted to call back the phone number without success. However, a distressed individual summoned adjacent officers shortly thereafter.
The victim told investigators that they were dropped off at an apartment to meet with the defendant, later identified as Gomez. Once inside Gomez’s home, he offered the victim money and narcotics in exchange for sex. Gomez then sexually battered the victim, who yelled for him to stop. After kicking the defendant, the victim managed to escape, calling 9-1-1 and eventually exiting the apartment before waving down the authorities. The victim was sent to the hospital for medical care.
Officers responded to the site and sought to locate Gomez, who barricaded himself inside his apartment when he saw police. After several hours, a police canine located Gomez and took him into custody.
During a post-Miranda interview, Gomez informed investigators that he was approached by someone who offered to coordinate sex acts involving the victim for a fee. After arranging for the victim to be transported to his flat, Gomez paid $100 to engage in sexual activity with him. During the questioning, authorities noticed evident traces of a physical altercation, including scratches on his body, which matched the victim’s accusations.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s flat to obtain evidence. In addition, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search of the defendant’s cell phone, which yielded important evidence utilized in the prosecution. Assistant State Attorney Eddie Moffitt successfully prosecuted this case, with the assistance of Victim Advocate Brittany Adkins and Assistant State Attorney Kati Cosden.