TAVARES, Fla. – An undocumented immigrant received a life sentence last week after he coerced a child into prostitution and raped her, state officials announced.
In a release, investigators said that the case kicked off in July 2024 after Eustis police received a 911 hang-up call originating from an apartment along North Prescott Street.
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Law enforcement officers weren’t able to return the call, though nearby police were later waved down by a “person in distress,” the release states.
“She starts to give a statement about how she was just in an apartment, and someone in that apartment had a gun (and) had raped her, threatened her,” State Attorney Ben Gladson said during a news conference in Tavares on Tuesday.
According to investigators, the “woman” had been dropped off at the apartment to meet a man — later identified as Jose Gomez, 31 — and she was offered money and drugs in exchange for sex. Gomez then sexually battered her, investigators added.
She was reportedly able to kick Gomez and escape, calling 911 and eventually fleeing the apartment before flagging down the officers, the release notes.
However, Gladson explained that when officers responded to the apartment, Gomez barricaded himself inside.
Despite holing himself up for several hours, though, officers were ultimately able to catch Gomez.
Initially, jail records show that Gomez faced charges of sexual battery, false imprisonment, and resisting an officer without violence.
But on May 28, Gomez was found guilty of the following:
- Resisting a law enforcement officer without violence
- Lewd or lascivious battery of a child between 12 and 16 years old (3 counts)
- Human trafficking of a child for commercial sexual activity
“At the time, the victim — and this is a theme that often happens with children who are the victims of sex trafficking — misrepresented her age," Gladson clarified. “And at the time, she indicated she was in fact an adult. Later, upon further investigation, we would learn that she was much younger.”
Gladson further stated that DNA and text messages were unearthed that confirmed the victim’s story, which helped spur the new charges for Gomez.
In addition, Attorney General James Uthmeier revealed that Gomez had been in the country illegally. Per state officials, Gomez had been granted a temporary work visa, which expired around four years ago.
“An illegal alien raped and trafficked a little girl,” Uthmeier said. ”Just appreciate this. We’re seeing these stories everywhere now. Today, it’s Florida. Yesterday, Massachusetts. Tons of examples across the country... This monster should not have been in this country. He should not have been here. This crime should not have occurred."
After being declared guilty, Gomez was sentenced to life imprisonment.