A Brooklyn, New York, man will be spending at least the next three years in a state prison for sexual assault following a sentencing proceeding in Carbon County court.

Jose Rodriguez, 60, formerly of Albrightsville, and Gouldsboro, Wayne County, was sentenced to a state prison term by Judge Steven R. Serfass on a charge of statutory sexual assault, 11 years or older.

Rodriguez previously entered a guilty plea to the charge. In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office dropped counts of indecent sexual intercourse - forcible compulsion; aggravated indecent assault - forcible compulsion; rape - forcible compulsion; indecent assault - forcible compulsion; indecent exposure; corruption of minors; and photograph/film/depict on computer sex act - knowingly or permitting child.

Rodriguez was charged in June 2021 with sexually assaulting a girl at a residence in Penn Forest Township.

State police at Fern Ridge filed the charges after receiving information on June 3 by the Jim Thorpe Area School District and spoke with a teacher who said that she and several other teachers had received an email from the girl’s 17-year-old brother with information about Rodriguez, and the girl, who is 17. A screenshot of an email thread between the girl and Rodriguez suggested they were in an inappropriate relationship.

Serfass imposed a state term of three to six years followed by consecutive three years of probation. He also ordered the defendant to get a mental health evaluation, supply a DNA sample, have no contact with the victim and pay court costs of over $1,000. Rodriguez must register for life as a sexual offender and must follow all registration provisions of Megan’s Law.

He was given credit for 78 days already served and began the prison term immediately.