A San Luis Obispo County business owner is slated for trial next month as he faces multiple felony charges, including the alleged rape of a child and sexual molestation of other minors. Jesus Rosales Morales, owner of Golden State Tree Service, is scheduled for a trial setting conference on August 13, 2026, with the trial expected to commence later that month.
Morales faces one count of forcible rape and two counts of committing lewd acts upon a child. According to court documents, the most severe charge originates from a 2010 incident where Morales allegedly assaulted a young niece. The victim reportedly remained silent for over a decade due to threats from Morales, who allegedly told her she would never see her father again and threatened to have her father, a legal immigrant at the time, deported. Following this revelation, the victim’s mother contacted her husband, who subsequently suffered a heart attack and a stroke, resulting in permanent vision impairment. The mother and daughter then reported the alleged assault to law enforcement, leading to the felony rape charge.
In addition to the 2010 incident, court documents indicate that Morales is accused of sexually abusing two other nieces from different branches of his family. In 2024, one niece reported that Morales had fondled her in 2017 when she was 14 years old or younger. Another niece alleged that Morales committed lewd acts and forced her to kiss him at the California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles in July 2021, when she was 14 or 15 years old. All three alleged victims are now adults attending college.
If convicted, Morales faces a minimum penalty of 15 years to life in prison due to a sentencing enhancement for multiple victims. Court records show the trial setting conference is scheduled to take place at the San Luis Obispo Courthouse.