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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking by Force

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BUFFALO, NEW YORK – Steven Gonzalez, also known by several aliases, including Steven Hernandez and Stevie, 48, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by coercion. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. and carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with a possible life sentence, as well as a $250,000 fine.

Assistant District Attorneys Joel L. Violanti and Caitlin M. Higgins reported that between 2012 and March 2015, Gonzalez exploited a minor, identified as AN, by providing her with cocaine in exchange for sex, exploiting AN’s cocaine addiction to coerce her into engaging in commercial sex acts. Similarly, between 2012 and 2013, Gonzalez manipulated another minor, identified as BE, by providing her with heroin in exchange for sex, using BE’s heroin addiction as a means of coercion.

The guilty plea is the culmination of a Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation led by Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations from exploitation.

  • CFO charged with wire fraud in Scranton
    CFO charged with wire fraud in Scranton

    SCRANTON – Angela Saar, 51, of Olyphant, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, has been charged with wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The charges, detailed in a criminal information filed on July 25, 2024, allege that Saar defrauded the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania (CAC/NEPA) of approximately $411,940.11.

    Between November 2018 and June 2022, while she was CAC/NEPA’s CFO, Saar allegedly orchestrated a scheme to divert funds from the organization’s bank accounts to her personal accounts. The scheme included creating fraudulent mileage reimbursements and significantly inflating her own biweekly paycheck.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Olshefski and Luisa Berti, with support from the FBI’s Scranton Resident Office. If convicted, Saar faces up to 20 years in prison, supervised release after imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines. The final sentence will be determined by a judge taking into account federal sentencing laws and guidelines.

  • Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking by Force
    Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking by Force

    BUFFALO, NEW YORK – Steven Gonzalez, also known by several aliases, including Steven Hernandez and Stevie, 48, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by coercion. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. and carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with a possible life sentence, as well as a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant District Attorneys Joel L. Violanti and Caitlin M. Higgins reported that between 2012 and March 2015, Gonzalez exploited a minor, identified as AN, by providing her with cocaine in exchange for sex, exploiting AN’s cocaine addiction to coerce her into engaging in commercial sex acts. Similarly, between 2012 and 2013, Gonzalez manipulated another minor, identified as BE, by providing her with heroin in exchange for sex, using BE’s heroin addiction as a means of coercion.

    The guilty plea is the culmination of a Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation led by Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations from exploitation.

  • New Orleans Man Sentenced for Carjacking, Gun Charges
    New Orleans Man Sentenced for Carjacking, Gun Charges

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — Devon Frith, a 25-year-old New Orleans resident, was sentenced today to a total of 101 months in prison for carjacking and firearms offenses. U.S. Judge Lance M. Africk handed down the sentence after Frith pleaded guilty to carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.

    The incident, which took place on April 10, 2023, involved Frith carjacking a vehicle in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans. During the crime, Frith, masked and gloved, brandished a loaded Glock Model 26 pistol equipped with an extended magazine containing 17 live rounds, and demanded the keys to the victim’s car. He then drove the stolen vehicle to Westbank, where it crashed into a fence and another parked vehicle. Frith was apprehended by police minutes after the crash, and the handgun was recovered, still wrapped in the sweatshirt he was wearing during the carjacking.

    At sentencing, Judge Africk ordered Frith to serve 41 months in prison for the carjacking charge and an additional 60 months consecutively for the firearms charge. Following his prison sentence, Frith will be on supervised release for five years and will also have to pay a $100 special assessment fee for each count.

    U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans commended the New Orleans Police Department for its quick action in arresting Frith and recovering the firearm used in the crime.

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