Esteban A. Rodriguez, the 30-year-old Palm Coast resident and former Transportation Security Administration employee at Daytona Beach International Airport, pleaded no contest and was found guilty of raping and molesting his wife’s sister for several years, starting when she was in 6th grade. Rodriguez was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Rodriguez had faced life in prison for the four charges against him. On Oct. 15, he signed a no-contest plea, and on Nov. 12, Judge J. David Walsh sentenced him to the 15 years, followed by 15 years’ sex-offender probation. He is not eligible for early termination of probation, according to the plea agreement.
Rodriguez was arrested on Feb. 18 on two charges of rape of a minor between 12 and 18, lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor 12 to 18, and showing obscene materials to a minor. Rodriguez, according to his arrest report, had forced the girl to have oral sex with him, had forced her to pose nude so he could take pictures of her with his cell phone, and forced her to watch pornographic clips on his cell phone, “forcefully grabbing her by the back of the next when she tried to look away.” He also told her to lie to investigators and the Department of Children and Families, telling her to say the sex acts had taken place only within the last year, in hopes of lessening his eventual punishment.
He had been arrested and held on $260,000 bond, but had posted bail.
The previous story is below.
15-Year-Old Girl Reports Rapes and Abuse By Her Guardian’s Husband Over Several Years
Feb. 17, 2015–Esteban Alejandro Rodriguez, a 30-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s B-Section, is at the Flagler County jail on $260,000 bond this evening, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s office, after a 15-year-old girl in his care reported to school authorities last week that he has been raping her or sexually abusing her since she was in 6th grade.
Rodriguez faces two counts of raping a minor older than 12 but younger than 18, by a person in familial or custodial authority, both first-degree felonies, one count of lewd and lascivious molestation of a minor, a second-degree felony, and one count of showing pornography to a minor, a third-degree felony. The sheriff’s office issued a news release announcing the arrest Tuesday evening, before Rodriguez’s booking had posted at the county jail. His warrant was signed today by Circuit Judge J. David Walsh. (The booking, once posted, indicated Rodriguez’s residence on Buffalo Plains Lane. He had previously lived on Brunswick Lane.)
Rodriguez’s charging affidavit alleges that the girl, whose direct relation to Rodriguez is redacted from the transcript, has been living in his care for years, along with two other girls, one age 5, the other age 3. The girl’s legal guardian is married to Rodriguez.
The teen-ager went to a teacher on Feb. 10 during school hours and disclosed what she reported as the abuse that had been taking place over the previous several years. She was interviewed by a Child Protection Team member on Monday (subsequent to the Department of Children and Families being notified), when she said the abuse and assaults started in 2012 and continued until this year.
Rodriguez, the victim said, forced her to fondle him “averaging twice a week” while he allegedly molested her during the same period, forced her to disrobe so he could take pictures of her with his cell phone, and forced her to watch adult pornography on his phone, “forcefully grabbing her by the back of the neck when she tried to look away,” the arrest report states.
Further, the girl told authorities, Rodriguez allegedly told her to lie to DCF and the police and say that inappropriate acts had taken place only within the last year, presumably under the false assumption that he would face less severe charges if the acts had taken place when she was 14 or older. The girl also provided a five-page narrative after authorities instructed her “to write her feelings and what happened” before the interview, in an attempt “to make her feel more comfortable.”
The girl’s guardian provided a statement, and Rodriguez himself consented to an interview by police, but those disclosures are redacted from the arrest report.
Lin says
This is awful
I wish there was a way to protect our kids from these predators
Details not available about the type of guardianship but if he was given custody we need to look at the screening of these people before they have custody of children
We need to fix this process
Unfortunately it happens too often even with blood relatives
Jack Howell says
I wonder why it took so long for a Child Protective Team to get involved? If the incident was reported by the teacher on 10 February, a CPT should have been visiting the home on 10 February not on 16 February. Another wonderful job by DCF….not. Of course the DCF Secretary Mike Carroll will come up with a limp excuse as he did on the 5-year-old Phoebe Jonchuck’s life. The DCF in Florida is another agency that just does not get it. The case workers are slammed with red tape, worked long hard hours and are significantly underpaid. Turnover is high. I know as I resigned as a CPT investigator in 2008. For me, it was not an issue of salary. It was dealing with BS of DCF bureaucracy.
Tracey M says
Just disgusting. I hope he and the Guardian go away for life.
Jim S says
Why do you assume the Guardian is involved. Children are molested in households without any knowledge of it going on by other parties in the house. Think Woody Allen & his Step Daughter & Mia Farrow never knowing. These types of abuse are the most horrendous because they are committed by someone you would never even suspect of being capable of such acts. The child, the Guardian & other family members are All Victims….it rocks the very foundation of trust in someone.
Peter G says
@Jim. You absolutely correct about this. I appreciate you stepping in and providing the correct facts.
Peter G says
Rest assure that the Guardian had no part in this.
Anonymous says
Rodriguez is a TSA agent who works at the Daytona Beach airport. Why am I not surprised.
This site keeps a running tab of TSA crimes, everything from theft to sex crimes.
https://tsascandals.wordpress.com/
#1 Gator Fan says
I’ve it before and I’ll say it again. Palm Coast’s creep factor is growing by leaps and bounds. There must be a sign in 95 telling all creepers,rapists and pedophiles to EXIT HERE.
confidential says
Totally agree with Jack Howell above…why other than DCF our sheriff department was not involved from the start? DCF in Florida is a joke…is not to help children but to justify our taxes given to some high pay administrators and their red tape!!
Jay Ellis says
They forgot to mention he is/was a Federal Officer – TSA Officer working at the Daytona Beach airport and had been an officer for many years. I worked with this guy but never observed suspect behavior.
Anonymous says
Sick
hello says
Hello Woman with Kids–DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH A MALE SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE FATHER OF THE CHILD>
Anonymous says
Because there are no female pedophiles, right?
Teddy says
No one including me knows what happened here. But there is an ever growing list of crimes where a mere allegation serves as sufficient proof to arrest, indict and convict. The accused is then in a position of having to prove a negative which is most often impossible to do. I wish we had real judges and not career advancing opportunists.
Guest says
This is very unexpected as he does not fit the profile of a sexual predator. This man was a full tie Federal agent of TSA, a college graduate and a full time student on the Dean’s list. Recently graduated with Honors. He also is a Navy Veteran who fought twice in the war in Iraq. ALL parties involved in the household MUST be fully investigated in this case.
Iris Arellano says
I am so surprised, I am shocked of this because I knew him in Middle School and high school. He fought a bully that was bugging me and knocked him out in the 8th grade. We all got suspended. I wasn’t even friends with him when he did this but we became friends after. He is also from my country ( Venezuela) I am almost mad and heart broken. He was a good kid, very straight not wanting to get in trouble. He was a good student. What could possibly go wrong in someone’s life to turn an otherwise good person into this kind of monster. I feel terrible for the victim and her family but also for his mom and sister. He came from a good family. I haven’t seen him since we left HS in 2003. I knew he joined the U.S Military afterwards and always respected that. Ugh… Im just so upset at this news.
neighbor says
This man is a Navy war veteran, with a Bachelor’s degree. Known to have great character with many governmental security clearances a Federal employee. Knowing what I know of his character and great integrity. I believe in his innocence.
Guest says
Wow! This is very unexpected I knew this individual and he does not fit the profile of a predator. This man was a full time Federal agent of TSA, and full time student with honors. He also went twice to war in Iraq. This case should be fully investigated. He was a very social person, I am in shock and disbelief.
Justice For All says
Let me start off by saying that it’s very easy to sit back in our comfortable living rooms and read an article then judge a person. This is such a heartbreaking story, for the entire family, especially the victim and the other 2 young girls (Esteban’s biological children). The victim is Esteban’s wife’s younger sister (his sister-in-law), she came to live with the couple at approximately 6 years old, due to their Mother (Esteban’s wife’s Mother) having her own health related issues. Both Esteban & his wife & their families are from the Miami area originally, they previously lived in the Jacksonville area where he was employed with TSA, as a TSA Screening Agent at the Jacksonville airport, before transferring with TSA to the Daytona Beach airport & moving to their present home. He served in the military (Navy). The wife has raised her sister from a very young age, as if she is one of her own children, she loves her Sister (victim). She had NO KNOWLEDGE of the horrid abuse that was happening to her sister. The victim was gripped by her fear of Esteban & she never reached out to her sister about the abuse. Had the victim shared this abuse with her she would’ve contacted the authorities immediately. Esteban was always cordial, friendly but aloof, I always thought there was something off with him and could never quite put my finger on it, just a bit odd. He also was controlling & disrespectful towards his wife. A quiet brooding personality. These characteristics of course don’t make him guilty of the charges made against him. Esteban was a very involved Father to his 2 biological girls, shocking enough he was also the same way with the victim, raising her as one of his own Daughters. This has ripped this young family apart. I can’t even begin to imagine what the young victim has been exposed to and what unspeakable acts were demanded of her. Unfortunately, she will carry the emotional scars around with her for the rest of her life. I applaude the victim for the strength that she showed by coming forward & freeing herself from this MONSTERS clutches. My heart breaks for the 2 young girls as well, they have lost a Father. They will forever carry around the very sad Legacy that their Father, (if convicted) has created for them. I can’t imagine the betrayal his wife must feel, the guilt in feeling as if she should have known what was happening. They live a few doors down from Esteban’s Mother and other family members , his family is angry & has turned their backs on his wife and she has no family in the area to help her or the children through this horrible crisis. I hope that this family gets the much needed counseling that they will need. The children have had their Father ripped from their lives without an understanding of why. I will keep them in my thoughts.
crack me up says
What’s with all the accolades about this rapist educational background and military service? So I guess psychos can’t hold jobs go to college and fool people until they get caught? Anyone ever here of Ted Bundy or Ted Kaczynski? Get away from the stereotypes and stop thinking because someone has a degree, medals or a big bank account that makes them a good person.
confidential says
This are the terrible dangers these women put their children and even their pets thru when they meet new partners in their lives, as love blinds these women. They just can’t see far enough thru the false promises these perverts tell them. I read almost it daily in the news innocent children and pets abused and or worst killed by these romance/love seeking women new male companions or “newly acquired husbands”.
confidential says
These are…
disgustedwiththeworld says
Most pedophiles ,sexual predators,rapists ect…. hide the behavior so they dont “fit the profile” ….this is what lets them continue in this disgusting behavior for so long without getting caught.
Just me says
To those saying he is innocent did you NOT read the part ~ Esteban A. Rodriguez, the 30-year-old Palm Coast resident and former Transportation Security Administration employee at Daytona Beach International Airport, pleaded no contest and was found guilty of raping and molesting his wife’s sister for several years, starting when she was in 6th grade. ~ He took the deal WHY because he is GUILTY. I hope he gets all he deserves over the next 15v years.