June 5, 2025
Undocumented Immigrant Jose Gomez Gets Life Sentence in Eustis Human Trafficking Case
By Kyle Coppola
Undocumented Immigrant Jose Gomez Gets Life Sentence in Eustis Human Trafficking Case
EUSTIS, Fla. — An undocumented immigrant was sentenced to life in prison this week following a harrowing human trafficking case that unfolded in Lake County last summer.
According to Eustis Police Department – Jose Gomez, 29, was convicted on multiple charges stemming from a July 15, 2024 incident, when Eustis police responded to a 911 hang-up call at 231 North Prescott Street. According to a statement from the Eustis Police Department, officers arrived to find a juvenile girl running toward them, alleging she had just been sexually battered by Gomez.
Police later determined the girl was a victim of human trafficking and had been sexually exploited. She told investigators she had been driven to Lee’s Laundromat on Orange Avenue by unidentified acquaintances, where she was approached by Gomez. He allegedly paid her $100 before taking her to his apartment.
Once inside, the girl said she was physically restrained before managing to escape by scratching her way free. Officers found Gomez barricaded inside the residence where a K-9 Unit was able to apprehend him at the scene following a standoff. A search warrant executed on the apartment uncovered further evidence linking Gomez to the exploitation.
Authorities said Gomez had remained in Eustis for years after overstaying a temporary work visa. His trial concluded with a guilty verdict on all counts, and a judge sentenced him to life in prison
Photos – Lake County Sheriff’s Office
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
