Sexual Exploitation Accusations Involving 12-Year-Old Child Lead Feds To Charge Rockland 48-Year-Old

RAMAPO, NY — A Hudson Valley man is facing federal child sex abuse charges.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced on Thursday the filing of a complaint charging 48-year-old Alber Rodriguez, of Montebello, with sexual exploitation of a minor. He was arrested on Wednesday, presented before a judge in White Plains federal court, and detained.

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Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

"As alleged, Alber Rodriguez sexually abused a 12-year-old child and recorded that abuse — conduct that is as cruel as it is criminal," Clayton said. "This Office has zero tolerance for those who prey on children. Protecting New Yorkers, especially our youngest and most vulnerable, is our priority. If you exploit a child in this District, we will find you, we will charge you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. We will not stop until those who endanger our children are taken off our streets and held fully accountable."

According to the complaint, on April 11, a witness reported to the Ramapo Police Department that they had seen sexually explicit images of a minor on a cellphone belonging to Rodriguez.

Prosecutors say that the images found by the witness appeared in the photo gallery of Rodriguez's cellphone. The photos appeared consecutively in the photo gallery, and were taken in Rockland County, on Sept. 10, 2024, and Sept. 13, 2024, when the victim was 12 years old.

The victim, who is now 13 years old, told police that Rodriguez sexually abused them several times over the past two years, and took photos of the victim naked at least one time in Rockland County.

On April 11, Rodriguez was arrested and charged in the Justice Court Village of Montebello, with first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child; sexual abuse; possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child; and sexual misconduct, along with other charges.

It is possible that there may be other victims, according to investigators. If anyone has information to report, they are asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online.

Clayton praised the efforts of the FBI, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County Sheriff's Office, and the Rockland County District Attorney's Office during the investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Briggs and Marcia S. Cohen in charge of the prosecution.