Probation Ordered in Rochester Sex Crime Case
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man has been sentenced to five years on probation for a prostitution-related conviction stemming from a child pornography investigation.
Evidence Suppressed by Judge
Court records indicate that 45-year-old Joel Alan Ashbacher entered into a plea agreement last October after a court ruling suppressed much of the evidence gathered by investigators in the case. The ruling found that Rochester police lacked sufficient probable cause to obtain a search warrant for Ashbacher's home but allowed the prosecution to use statements he gave to investigators.
READ MORE: Key Evidence Thrown Out in Rochester Child Porn Case
Investigation Launched by Cyber Tip
According to the criminal complaint in the case, Ashbacher became the target of a criminal investigation in October 2024 after Rochester police received a cyber tip that he was soliciting minors to engage in sexual acts. That cyber tip led to the issuance of a search warrant covering his person, vehicle, and home.
The court document says Ashbacher was pulled over by police as he was driving away from his northwest Rochester residence. The officer cited his knowledge that Ashbacher had a revoked driver's license as the justification for the traffic stop.
Suspected Child Sexual Abuse Materials Found
While he was being interviewed by police, the criminal complaint says his home was searched and investigators seized multiple electronic devices that contained 117 files of suspected child sexual abuse material. Specifically, the charges identified one image and two videos depicting adults engaging in forced sexual assaults on male children ranging in age from 6 months to 8 years old.
Evidence of Juvenile Prostitution
The court document also stated that investigators found online chats between Ashbacher and other users of an app in which the Rochester man talked about having sex with a juvenile boy. The criminal complaint alleged that Ashbacher paid the teenager for sex and shared sexually explicit photos with the victim online.
Charges and Plea Deal
Ashbacher was charged with one count of dissemination of child pornography, 3 counts of possession of child pornography, and one count of prostitution involving a person believed to be between the ages of 16 and 18 years old. Under his plea agreement, Ashbacher admitted to the prostitution charge and all of the other charges against him were dismissed.
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