Rochester Man’s Plea Deal Could Result in 8 Year Prison Sentence

Get our free mobile app

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A 33-year-old Rochester man has entered into a plea agreement that could send him to prison for nearly 8 years.

Randy Rocha admitted Wednesday to a first-degree drug charge and a felony domestic assault charge through a deal with Olmsted County prosecutors that calls for the dismissal of two felony assault counts connected to the domestic violence incident as well as four other criminal complaints involving drugs and weapons charges.

The domestic assault case was brought against him last December after a woman called 911 and reported that she had been assaulted by Rocha at a residence in Stewartville. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office reported the woman told deputies he had threatened her with a knife and placed his hands around her throat and covered her mouth. The report filed by the deputies noted the woman had suffered a broken tooth during the incident that had dragged on over a period of several hours.

Rocha's guilty plea to the drug charge stemmed from an investigation by Rochester police that began in November 2020. The criminal complaint says a police informant arranged to purchase methamphetamine from Rocha and another man on two separate occasions. Court records indicate more than 23 grams of methamphetamine were exchanged during the controlled buys.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Rocha agreed to admit himself to an inpatient substance abuse treatment program. If he complies with the treatment and cooperates with the presentence investigation, prosecutors will request a 95-month prison sentence. If he fails to meet those obligations, they will seek a sentence of 114 months, which would be the maximum under state sentencing guidelines. Rocha's defense team will argue for him to be placed on probation at his sentencing hearing, which is schedule to take place in July.