Editor’s Note: The following is a submission by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
Here is a brief update on some of the events that occurred recently in the Chester County DA’s Office:
West Chester Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography
On April 2, 2026, the Chester County Detectives, West Whiteland Police Department, and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, charged David Rosa, 54, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, with Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and related charges.1 The Defendant was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Erin Bruno, and remanded to Chester County Prison after failing to post $200,000 cash bail. Defendant Rosa’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 10, 2026, at approximately 9:00 a.m.
As detailed in the criminal complaint, on April 2, 2026, Chester County Detectives received 24 cyber-tip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through the Delaware County ICAC Task Force. The tips were reported by Google involving six separate Gmail accounts with similar combinations of names, date of birth, and recovery phone numbers. The cyber-tips contained hundreds of still images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent juvenile females ranging in age from 2-6 years old.
District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said, “Our Detectives have partnered with the West Whiteland Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies to try and identify the victims depicted. If you believe you have information regarding this investigation, please contact Chester County Detectives at 610-344-6866.”
Please remember, if you have concerns about the safety of a child, you should say something. Call 911. Call Childline at 1-800-932-0313. Childline reports can be anonymous.
Spring City Man Sentenced to 40-80 Years in State Prison for Human Trafficking Child Victims
On April 2, 2026, 55-year-old Kevin Pethtel, of Spring City, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 40-80 years before the Honorable Patrick C. Carmody. Defendant Pethtel was charged with Trafficking Minors, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Drug Delivery to Minors, and related offenses and pled guilty on November 10, 2025.
Defendant Pethtel was originally arrested and charged in October of 2023 for sexually abusing and delivering methamphetamine to a 15-year-old girl. Investigators learned of two additional child victims during that investigation who later reported that the Defendant had also given them methamphetamine and fentanyl and demanded sexual acts as payment. The defendant escalated to injecting one of the child victims with fentanyl and engaging in sexual intercourse with her without her consent. The Defendant arranged meetings with the victims—who ranged in age from 15-16 years old—at locations in Chester, Berks and Montgomery counties. Pethtel also demanded that the child victims send him sexually explicit photographs of themselves as payment for the illegal substances.
District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said, “These victims demonstrated incredible bravery both by coming forward against the defendant and overcoming the addiction he facilitated. This case demonstrates how disturbing and dangerous human trafficking can be.”
