Steven Gonzalez, also known as Steven Hernandez, Steve, Stevie, and Unc, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking by coercion. This decision was made by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., following Gonzalez's conviction.
"U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today" about the sentencing in Buffalo, New York. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel L. Violanti, Caitlin M. Higgins, Joseph Tripi, and Joshua Violanti.
The prosecutors outlined that between 2012 and March 2015, Gonzalez coerced a minor, known in the case as A.N., to perform commercial sex acts. He supplied A.N. with cocaine, exploiting their addiction to maintain control and dependency. Gonzalez used this dependency to ensure A.N. continued to engage in commercial sex acts directly with him.
Additionally, between 2012 and 2013, another individual, referred to as B.E., was also coerced into similar acts by Gonzalez. He provided B.E. with heroin, knowing their physical addiction to the drug, thus using it as leverage for the coercion.