Stockton man convicted of trafficking teenage girl released on probation
A man who took part in the sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl during an eight-day period in 2016 was released from jail with a 5-year suspended prison sentence. He spent less than a year in jail.
Gabriel Gomez, 23, pleaded guilty to human trafficking of a minor for a commercial sex act on Aug. 7, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. He will also serve five years of felony probation.
The victim testified during a preliminary hearing in December that Gomez’s girlfriend threatened her in regard to her younger sister. She feared that if she did not engage in prostitution her little sister would be harmed. She said neither of them hurt her or threatened her with physical violence; her obedience was always derived out of fear for the safety of her sister.
Gomez posted advertisements for the victim on the internet and took her to motels to perform the sex acts.
The victim testified she had to perform sex acts until she earned at least $1,000 each night, and she never received any of the money. She told police she’d had sex with about 50 men when she contacted a relative for help while at the Motel 6 on Orangeburg Avenue.
The relative called police, who found the victim at the motel but Gomez was gone. It would be almost three years before he was arrested and charged with human trafficking.
Gomez’s sentence was not the result of a plea bargain, according to the DAs office. He entered a plea to the count as charged.
Before sentencing, Judge Ricardo Cordova heard arguments from both sides. The defense asked for probation while Deputy District Attorney Larissa Jones asked for five years in prison.
Cordova gave Gomez a five year suspended prison sentence and he was released from jail on time served, 299 days. Cordova said that if Gomez violates his probation, he could still end up in prison. .
He will have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 3:27 PM.
