WA man sentenced to 11 years in prison for sex trafficking minor

The Department of Justice stated that Gonzales first met the victim when she was 13 or 14 years old. By July and August 2020, when the victim was 17, Gonzales coerced her into engaging in commercial sex acts. He orchestrated her travel across state lines to a rented apartment in Portland, Oregon, where he directed her activities, collected the proceeds, and enforced strict rules to maintain control. Between 2016 and 2019, Gonzales exploited other young women, including one lured from Idaho, forcing them into prostitution to fund his lavish lifestyle. His methods included physical beatings, verbal assaults, and tracking his victims’ movements via cellphone apps.

“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for the criminal conduct he perpetrated for years within the Western District of Washington,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Predators who target and coerce the vulnerable face appropriately serious sanctions under federal law.”

Acting US Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington described Gonzales’ tactics, stating, “He preyed upon teenagers and young women who were insecure and estranged from their families… using whatever means necessary to ensure that his victims engaged in prostitution.”

Investigations also uncovered incriminating evidence on Gonzales’ electronic devices, including images of sex acts with a minor from December 2016. At the time of his arrest, he illegally possessed a Desert Eagle 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, despite prior felony convictions for domestic violence and unlawful imprisonment, which barred him from owning firearms.

“This sentencing is a powerful reminder that those who prey on vulnerable children through violence and exploitation will be held fully accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Olympia and Vancouver Police Departments, Idaho State Police, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies.