Former RPD officer headed to trial after two years
(ABC 6 News) – A trial date for a former RPD officer and Rochester Public Schools coach accused of sexual conduct with a minor and soliciting sexual images from the minor is set for early January.
The charges against Timothy Morgenstern were originally brought back in January of 2023 but after years of delays is finally going to trial.
Related: Former RPD officer’s trial rescheduled for June
Morgenstern’s charges stem from an alleged relationship back in 2022 with an unidentified student of his who was 16 years old at the time.
Court documents say the student had discussed the relationship with a therapist, who in turn reported it to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office.
The documents go on to say Morgenstern and the student allegedly exchanged explicit photos and videos of each other, and Morgenstern allegedly invited the student to his home June of that year where the two had sex.
Morgenstern denied any involvement with the student, but was fired by RPD shortly after and the case was handed off to Fillmore County for an investigation to avoid conflicts of interest.
Morgenstern’s trial is set for Monday, January 6, though that could change with the assignment of a new judge to the case.
However, both attorneys and the court have said this case is high priority and they wish to see it resolved as soon as possible.