UPDATE: Former Rochester policeman filed motion to withdraw guilty plea before 45-day sentence for witness tampering began
Joshua Laber / Olmsted County ADC, 2023
(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: Joshua David Laber, a former Rochester police officer, filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea just before his 45-day jail sentence for witness tampering began on July 31.
Laber, 45, was accused of sexually abusing a minor in 2021, then trying to keep the juvenile witness from speaking about the crime.
According to a plea deal filed April 18, Laber pleaded guilty to one charge of witness tampering in exchange for zero to three years of probation, and the complete dismissal of the criminal sexual conduct charge during his sentencing.
Laber was later sentenced to 45 days in jail and 5 years’ supervised probation, as well as a $1,500 fine.
Laber filed a motion to withdraw the plea on July 25, arguing that his plea agreement had not been followed.
Olmsted County judge Pamela King denied Laber’s request to delay his jail sentence until the motion had been heard in court.
Laber is currently held at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. His motion hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2023.
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(ABC 6 News) – A former RPD officer accused of sexually abusing a minor, then trying to keep the juvenile witness from speaking about the crime was sentenced to 45 days at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center Friday.
Joshua David Laber, 45, was charged with 2nd-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor in March of 2020, as well as possession of child pornography.
Laber was later charged with two counts of witness tampering between March and April of 2021, after allegedly using Pinterest accounts with false names to message the victim and tell them to change their testimony to law enforcement, threaten suicide if they did not, and mislead them that they did not have to appear in court to testify.
According to a plea deal filed April 18, Laber pleaded guilty to one charge of witness tampering in exchange for zero to three years of probation, and the complete dismissal of the criminal sexual conduct charge during his sentencing.
The child pornography charge was dismissed in September of 2021.
Laber was also sentenced to 5 years’ supervised probation, and a $1,500 fine, which he can pay off by serving 100 hours of community service, counseling, or therapy.
Laber is scheduled to begin his jail sentence no later than July 31. He received 7 days’ credit for time already served.