Executive Charged With Molesting 12-Year-Old

Ventura County prosecutors have charged a 48-year-old Camarillo business executive with using his position at a local church to lure a 12-year-old girl into at least 10 sexual encounters earlier this year.

Prosecutors filed a 10-count complaint against Robert C. Rose on Thursday, alleging that he sexually molested the girl between January and April at various locations, including at least once at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Camarillo.

Rose was arrested on suspicion of child molestation Oct. 1 but later released on bail. The district attorney’s office investigated the allegations for more than two months before determining that there is enough evidence to take the case to court.

Rose’s attorney, David P. Callahan of Oxnard, said Friday that his client would plead not guilty at his arraignment Dec. 15. Rose, who is free on $20,000 bail, appeared briefly in court Thursday to request the continuance.

Investigators said the girl, who has turned 13 since the alleged attacks, attended religious classes at the church, where Rose is employed as a program director.

In late September, the girl talked about the alleged attacks with a friend, who encouraged her to tell church officials, Deputy Dist. Atty. Saundra T. Brewer said.

“I’ve talked to the child numerous times, and there’s no question in my mind” that she is telling the truth, Brewer said.

A church official said Friday that Rose was placed on paid leave as soon as the allegations surfaced. Rose has worked for the church for 15 years, supervising about 170 junior high school students.

“The big thing is to act immediately and verify if (the charges) are true,” Msgr. John Hughes said. “That’s what the courts are doing.”

The defense attorney complained about the investigators’ tactics. Callahan said police questioned his client after the allegations were first made and told Rose that they believed the girl was lying.

“It’s unusual, if not bizarre,” Callahan said.

He also criticized the prosecutor’s delay in filing charges.

“If (prosecutors) believe the complaining witness, then they should have been able to file charges at the time of the arrest,” Callahan said. “Why does it take them six weeks to believe their own witness?”

But Brewer said investigators were trying to flush out more evidence in the case.

“The police were trying to cool-call the suspect to have him make admissions to her (on tape),” the prosecutor said. “That’s a very common and justifiable procedure.”

According to Callahan, Rose works as a personnel manager at a Camarillo manufacturing plant. He is married and the father of two children and four stepchildren, he said.

“He was just a parishioner who became an instructor,” Callahan said. Church officials “saw he had skills in teaching and they prevailed on him to become a leader.

“I expect there will be no physical evidence that will substantiate a molest. It’ll be simply her word against the citizen accused.”