Anthony Gonzalez, 40, of Aberdeen, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to coercing and enticing three minor females into sexual activity using cell phones and the internet between 2017 and 2019. The federal charges stem from a pattern of predatory online behavior targeting vulnerable teenage girls across state lines.
Gonzalez initiated contact with the first victim in June 2018 via a social media app. Though her profile claimed she was 18, the girl explicitly told Gonzalez she was only 16. Undeterred, he referred to her as his ‘girlfriend,’ discussed marriage, and pushed for sexual conversations. Days later, he drove from his home in Bel Air, Maryland, to a hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where the girl was staying with her father. On June 27, 2018, they engaged in sexual acts twice—once of which Gonzalez recorded on his cell phone. He later gave the teen a new phone capable of taking pictures and videos and asked her, ‘Do you always delete our messages from your phone baby?’
Between 2017 and 2018, Gonzalez targeted a second minor, Victim 2, when she was just 13 years old. He began a romantic online relationship, pressured her into sending sexually explicit images, and pushed to meet in person. When she repeatedly blocked him, a mutual friend intervened, urging her to reconnect. Gonzalez admitted to law enforcement that he knew she was a minor and possessed approximately four explicit images of her.
Victim 3 was 15 when Gonzalez contacted her in 2018. He told her they were ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’ and manipulated her into believing she had to comply with his demands. At his request, she sent sexually explicit images more than 500 times. The psychological coercion embedded in the so-called relationship underscores the calculated nature of Gonzalez’s crimes.
On January 24, 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant at Gonzalez’s Aberdeen residence, seizing two tablets, three cell phones, and a SIM card. During questioning, Gonzalez admitted to having sex with Victim 1 and confirmed he stored the recorded footage in cloud storage. He also acknowledged knowing Victim 2’s true age and possessing illicit images of her.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, Gonzalez faces a sentence of 10 to 16 years in federal prison if accepted by the court. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for February 24, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative targeting child sexual exploitation. Federal, state, and local agencies collaborated to bring Gonzalez to justice and identify his victims.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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