Highland Falls Man Convicted after Trial of 8 Felony Counts of Possessing
a Sexual Performance by a Child

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, Jesus Rottela, 55, of Highland Falls, was found guilty after a trial before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown of eight felony counts of Possessing a Sexual Performance of a Child. Rottela faces a maximum sentence of one and one-third to four years in state prison on each of the eight counts, which by law may run consecutively. Rotella is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2019.

During the trial prosecutors argued that Rottela had repeatedly downloaded video images of children engaged in sexual activity on both his own computer, and a computer belonging to a church which operated a “parsonage” where Rottela was living. On January 30, 2018, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at the parsonage and recovered the computers containing the videos. Prosecutors argued that the evidence showed that Rottela, who performed odd-jobs in the parsonage in lieu of paying rent, was the only person in the parsonage who possessed the pornographic videos of children.

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Assistant District Attorney Steven Goldberg and Assistant District Attorney Michael Roche who prosecuted the case.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the investigators and troopers of the New York State Police Monroe Barracks for their investigation of the case, Rottela’s arrest, and their assistance with the prosecution.

“Children are irreparably harmed during the creation of child pornography and are revictimized every time those images are viewed and redistributed,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “Those who obtain and possess child pornography encourage and contribute to this heinous abuse of the most innocent of victims. My office will continue to vigorously prosecute all those who possess child pornography.”

A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.