Mineola Man Sentenced to 55 Years for Child Exploitation

A Mineola man has been sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Fransisco Gonzalez, also known as Kiko Gonzalez, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and was sentenced to 660 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on June 23, 2025.

Gonzalez’s crimes involved the sexual exploitation of a minor female victim. Under the guise of taking her to church, he isolated her from her family, then used her to produce sexually explicit images and videos. Later, he distributed several of the images to others.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs stated, “Fransisco Gonzalez is on his way to prison where he will serve a very long sentence. For his crimes, he deserves every day of that lengthy term. I commend the efforts of the team that brought this defendant to justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands committed to seeking justice for victims and to defending the defenseless.”

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The investigation was led by the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and Lucas Machicek. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to bring perpetrators of child exploitation to justice.

The case highlights the importance of awareness and education in preventing child exploitation. Parents, guardians, and community members must be vigilant in monitoring the activities of those around children and reporting any suspicious behavior to the authorities.