Guilty Verdict Returned in Rochester Child Sex Abuse Trial

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Rochester, Mn (KROC-AM News) - A Texas man has been found guilty of a child sex abuse charge in Olmsted County Court.

The jury in the case returned the guilty verdict yesterday against 65-year-old Roberto Esquivel Rodriguez. He was charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child under the age of 13.

The criminal complaint against Rodriguez indicated Rochester police were contacted in October 2019 about a juvenile female, who was around 11 years old at the time, who stated that Rodriguez had molested her. She also indicated she did not want to say anything else about the incident. At the time, the court document says the decision was made by medical professionals to have the child work through therapy and allow "her to disclose any abuse when she was ready to discuss the matter."

The charges say the girl was ready to conduct a forensic interview in January 2020 and provided investigators with more information about the sexual contact allegedly inflicted on her by Rodriguez. According to the criminal complaint, the victim told investigators that Rodriguez stopped after hearing a knock on the door and instructed her "not to tell anybody."

Rochester police later learned that Rodriguez had moved to Mexico, but investigators were informed in 2021 that he had moved back to the United States and was living in Eagle Pass, Texas. The formal criminal complaint against him was filed in Olmsted County Court in February 2022.

Rodriguez, who remains free with conditions but no bail, has been ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and presentence investigation prior to his sentencing hearing on November 13.