The State Prosecutor's Office today (Sunday) filed an indictment with the Tel Aviv District Court against Chaim Rotter (38), chairman of the Shomrim neighborhood watch organization in Bnei Brak, for committing severe sexual offenses against four complainants, including a minor aged 15 at the time of the offenses.
According to the indictment, submitted by Attorney Efrat Rotem from the Tel Aviv District Prosecutor's Office, Rotter exploited his position as chairman of the organization, a role he held for about 15 years, to commit offenses between 2009 and 2024.
In his role, Rotter managed all of the organization's activities, recruited volunteers, patrolled the streets of Bnei Brak, and maintained constant contact with the Israeli police station in the city. As a result, he became a well-known public figure in the city, and his position was used, according to the indictment, to harm the complainants.
The indictment attributes to Rotter a series of severe sexual offenses, including rape of a minor under the age of sixteen, causing rape to a minor, indecent acts by force, and indecent acts without consent.
The prosecutor's office requested the court to order Rotter's detention until the completion of legal proceedings against him.
He was arrested at the beginning of the month upon his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. Since his arrest, additional complaints have been received, and the police are conducting further investigations parallel to the legal proceedings.
In response to the indictment, the Magen Assistance Center, which accompanies some of Chaim Rotter's victims, stated: "We welcome the prosecutor's decision to file a serious indictment against Chaim Rotter for a series of severe sexual offenses committed over the years. This is an important and significant step in the fight for justice and in breaking the silence that has lasted for many years."
"To the many complainants whose complaints are not included in the indictment due to statute of limitations, it is important to say: your brave choice to break the silence is not in vain. We believe you, and your actions contributed to the investigative team's ability to piece together a full picture. The long-standing intimidation and silence mechanism caused many offenses not to receive a legal response from the statute of limitations. We encourage more victims to file a complaint," they concluded.