Templeton man allegedly rapes child, threatens to deport parent

July 5, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

The trial of a Templeton man who allegedly raped a young girl and then threatened to have the child’s father deported is slated to begin in August.

Years after he allegedly raped one child and sexually molested two other girls, Jesus Rosales Morales is headed to trial in August, according to court records. He is facing a rape charge and two counts of committing lewd acts upon a child.

If convicted, an enhancement regarding the number of victims requires a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Morales, the owner of Golden State Tree Service, is from a large family.

In 2024, one of Morales’ nieces told law enforcement he fondled her in 2017, when she was 14 years of age or younger, according to court records.

A short time later, a niece from another family made a similar allegation. She said Morales committed lewd acts while kissing her at the California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles in July 2021. The girl was 14 or 15 years old at the time.

Even though the three alleged victims, who are all now attending college, are adults, CalCoastNews is not identifying the victims or one of the victim’s mothers.

One of Morales’ sisters-in-law sat down with her children to explain their uncle’s legal issues. After she finished, her 20-year-old daughter said he did it “differently to me,” the mother said.

However, the duaghter did not provide her mother many details, other than to tell her Morales had threatened her saying if she told she would never see her father again.

Morales said he would have the victim’s father, a legal immigrant at the time, deported, the victim’s mother told CalCoastNews.

The mother called her husband and asked him to come home from work, but he had a heart attack before leaving. He later had a stroke that left him with sight issues, his wife said.

Several days later, the mother and daughter spoke with law enforcement, which led to a felony charge for a forcible rape that occurred in 2010.

At that time, Morales visited his brother and asked if his niece could spend the night at his home. The victim did not disclose the details of what occurred that evening to her mother, though she did speak with investigators.

Morales is scheduled for a trial setting conference on Aug. 13.

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