WEST BEND, Wis. — The Kewaskum school resource officer convicted of sexual misconduct for texting graphic images and messages to a student was sentenced to three years in prison, in addition to another case.
Steven Rosales was sentenced to two years in prison in November on bestiality convictions. On Friday, a Washington County judge added three years to the other sentence, meaning the fired SRO will serve five years in prison.
The victim, a Kewaskum High School senior at the time of the misconduct, spoke in front of the courtroom. The judge ordered that her wishes not to be filmed or recorded be granted.
She was 18 when Rosales asked for her phone number and started sending her sexually inappropriate messages and graphic photos.
Her mother also spoke in court and allowed TMJ4 News to record the audio of her victim-witness testimony, but she was not named in an attempt to protect the family's identity.
“You had fooled an entire community into trusting you with our youngest and most vulnerable population," she said. "You were supposed to be a safe place for students to go."
The court ruled that Rosales was preying on her daughter, who was vulnerable and thought she could trust him because of his position at the school.
“You spent a year developing a friendship with our daughter, building trust," she said. "But you were doing what we learned is grooming her."
Watch: Former Kewaskum SRO was sentenced for sexual misconduct of a student
Rosales cried in court, apologized, and blamed sex addiction for the reason he broke his sworn oath to protect and help students in Kewaskum.
“I know my actions shocked and hurt a lot of people I worked with," he said. "I want to apologize to my wife, children, and family as a whole.”
The victim's mother said their lives are forever changed, and that they find it hard to trust people, but they simply want to move on from this traumatic experience.
"My daughter has a bright future ahead of her. I think, hope, and pray that you're getting the help you need," she said. "And spending this time in prison working to become the man your wife and children deserve."
Rosales will be on the sex offender registry for the rest of his life. He is not eligible for early release and will serve a total of seven years of extended supervision once he is out of prison.
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