TAVARES, Fla. — Attorney General James Uthmeier held a conference in Tavares this morning to provide updates regarding the 2024 human trafficking case of undocumented Mexican immigrant Jose Gomez.
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He was joined by State Attorney Bill Gladson and Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri, both of whom provided context and details regarding the investigation and Gomez’s recent sentencing to life in prison.
READ: Sheriff: 255 arrested after undercover human trafficking investigation in Central Florida
Gomez was arrested in July 2024 after officers responded to a 911 call from an apartment complex in Eustis.
There, they found a young woman in distress, who told officers a man she had met at a nearby market had tried to rape her. Following further investigation, officers determined that she had indeed been raped.
Gomez, an undocumented immigrant who had overstayed his visa, was convicted of human trafficking of a child under 18, as well as three counts of lewd and lascivious battery of a child under 16. He was sentenced to life in prison for human trafficking, and 27.45 years for each count of battery.
“An illegal alien raped and trafficked a little girl,” said Uthmeier. “These aren’t just stories. These are tragedies. These are horrific, grotesque events that keep happening. And they’re happening because of the open border policies that were in existence.”
Gladson shared a similar sentiment: “If you are here unlawfully in the United States, there are worse things than just getting deported,” he said. “If you commit a serious crime, you are going to go to prison first. You’re not going to find yourself just deported on a plane back to some other country.”
After recounting the details of the police investigation, Chief Capri praised the “teamwork” he says solved this case, noting cooperation from all areas of law enforcement that ensured its completion in a timely manner.
“I’m proud of my agency. I’m proud of working with the sheriff’s office, with the State Attorney’s office,” said Capri. “I can’t describe in words what this means for our community. We’ve got to protect the most vulnerable: our children.”
Both Gladson and Uthmeier assured the public that following his conviction, Gomez will not be deported; rather, he will remain in custody in Florida.
“He’s going to stay right here so we know where he is,” the Attorney General said. “He will be behind bars for the rest of his life, and that prison cell will be far too nice a place for this individual.”
Uthmeier urged the community to “work together to combat illegal immigration and ”shut down the border once and for all.”
“This is not a left-or-right issue. This is not a Republican/Democrat issue,” he said. “This is rule of law. It is protecting our kids from these tragic situations. How many people have to be victimized like this before everyone will get together and realize that if we are going to be a sovereign country, we must have rule of law?”
The Attorney General concluded his remarks by reassuring the public that his office, as well as other local law enforcement agencies “have your back.”
“Whatever you guys need, we’re here,” he said. “We’ve got to keep Florida the safest state in the country to raise a family.”
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