Former Rochester police officer faces criminal sexual conduct charges involving a minor
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Olmsted County prosecutors on Friday charged a former Rochester police officer with criminal sexual conduct involving a minor.
Timothy Morgenstern, 22, was an employee of the police department for exactly a year, until the alleged victim’s therapist contacted authorities. According to court documents, Morgenstern was a volunteer coach at a Rochester high school when he first met the minor, who was 15 at the time.
The Rochester Police Department fired Morgenstern Oct. 6, a week after an Olmsted County sheriff’s deputy received a call from the teen’s therapist and a detective interviewed the alleged victim.
Rochester Police asked the sheriff’s office to investigate to avoid a conflict of interest.
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“The conduct outlined in this case is inconsistent with the core values of our department,” said Chief Jim Franklin in a statement.
According to the criminal complaint, Morgenstern and the teen exchanged explicit videos before having sex at his house.
Morgenstern is facing two counts of criminal sexual conduct and one count of creating child pornography.
Law enforcement sought data from Morgenstern and the victim’s cell phones, and conducted interviews with the victim’s friends before filing charges.
Morgenstern’s first court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 15. He is not jailed.
According to the Minnesota Peace Officers Standards and Training Board, Morgenstern’s law enforcement license, first issued in late 2021, is listed as inactive.
