KINGMAN – Judge Billy Sipe expressed disgust for a Lake Havasu City man convicted of sex offenses involving two young girls. During a Thursday sentencing hearing in Kingman, Sipe ordered the 30-year prison term mandated in a plea agreement for Jesse Gomez, 40.
“It makes me sick to my stomach,” Sipe said of the plea deal. “You should be spending life in prison.”
Despite some reluctance, Sipe accepted the plea deal and its punishment limitation of three decades behind bars. Gomez will serve lifetime probation if he survives the prison sentence.
“I just want to state that I do realize my actions were wrong and I have to live with that the rest of my life,” Gomez said. He expressed regret and offered apology to his victims.
Defense attorney Ross Carponelli said Gomez’ crimes are rooted in alcohol and drug abuse that began in his youth and continued for decades.
“He is a demon of addiction,” Carponelli said. “It’s not an excuse, but an explanation.”
“I won’t accept any excuse whatsoever for sexually abusing a child,” Sipe said, branding Gomez a predator rather than a substance abuser. “This is you using a victim as a sex doll, a sex toy for years.”
Gomez is convicted of sexual conduct with a minor and attempted sex trafficking committed on or between Jan. 2017 and Jan.19, 2026. A second sexual conduct with a minor conviction involves activity on or between Jan. 2016 and Oct. 19, 2018.
