Gómez was born in New York City; his parents are from Dominican Republic and Ecuador. He appeared in several films and television shows before joining Sesame Street, including Triangle, a 1969 English-language film shot in Puerto Rico, Pepito, a 1970 Spanish-language film made in Colombia, and The Street of the Flower Boxes, an NBC special that aired in 1971. As a teenager and young adult, Gómez later played a variety of hoods and Latino gang members on Baretta, CHiPs, Simon & Simon, Barney Miller, Cagney & Lacey, and Hill Street Blues. Gomez's film work includes Selena and Mi Vida Loca.