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Bedford resident Felix Barahona Rosales, age 48, was sentenced to 34 years to life in state prison for sexually assaulting two children numerous times as well as sending explicit photos to a third victim, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Tuesday, Nov. 28.
According to Rocah's office, Rosales's conduct began when both sexual assault victims were five and six years old and occurred between 2005 and 2007 for the first victim and between 2013 and 2021 for the second. This conduct all took place in Mount Kisco, Ossining, and Peekskill, officials said.
Additionally, Rosales also took part in several sexually explicit conversations with a 13-year-old victim over Facebook Messenger between January and February 2018. During these conversations, Rosales sent naked photos of himself to the child.
Rosales was eventually arrested on June 14, 2021, by the Westchester County Police Department following an investigation. He was later found guilty of the following on Thursday, Sept. 28 after a two-week trial:
- Predatory sexual assault against a child;
- Second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child;
- First-degree disseminating indecent material to a minor;
- Endangering the welfare of a child.
Rosales received the maximum prison sentence for each felony conviction. If he is ever released from prison, he will be required to serve 10 years of post-release supervision and register as a sex offender.
In addition to this conviction, Rosales was also convicted of child molestation and sexual exploitation of a minor in January 2011 in Georgia, officials said.
In a statement in court during Rosales's sentencing, one of his victims addressed the jury and thanked them for believing them.
"I'm proud of myself for speaking up because no child, adult, or person should ever go through the things I went through," the victim said, adding to Rosales, "You will never have that same power over me like you did when I was a little kid...I don't fear you anymore.”
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