Scott D. Laser, 42, Montpelier, stands trial in the Williams County Court of Common Pleas this week, facing 11 felony counts that include abduction, menacing, corruption, theft, drug possession and obstruction of justice.
County Prosecutor Katie Zartman walked the jury through his charges Tuesday afternoon.
“Imagine yourself as a 14-year-old girl alone late at night with a suitcase and dog when you hear, ‘You’re under arrest!’” Zartman said.
Zartman said that Laser posed as “Officer Studer” to coerce the teen on Nov. 23, 2018, and took her to his house, one block from the Montpelier Fire Department. There he forced her to take cough syrup, pills and crystal methamphetamine until she was disoriented, lapsing in and out of consciousness.
“He touched her and made her perform sex acts with his 17-year-old son while her parents searched,” Zartman said. “When the Montpelier police went to his house, several times, he forced the teens into his attic and refused to respond. The family yelled for her outside, even broke a window. She tried to signal back.”
Zartman said police forced entry into the house on Nov. 28, executing a “no knock” search warrant. They found tools valued at $1,000 in addition to several firearms including a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber pistol, a .22-caliber Henry rifle and a Marlin 30-30 rifle, all reported stolen from the same Montpelier residence. They also found a Hi-Point 10mm rifle, allegedly stolen from the Wooden Indian Pawn Shop in Defiance, and drug paraphernalia.
The investigation also revealed that Laser had contracted for work in Montpelier and kept the money without doing the jobs, in total valued at $2,500.
Laser was also charged with obstruction of justice for providing false information during the search and ordering his teenage son, who police found in the attic when the search warrant was executed, to do the same.
“This is a man who uses strength, power and drugs to control people,” Zartman said. “He steals from people he knows won’t sue him and impersonated an officer to snare a juvenile into doing what he wanted.”
In response, defense attorney Araon Cook, of Delta, pointed out that the prosecution had to prove every single point of every single charge, but the statements to be presented “were neither consistent nor coherent.”
“They’re asking you to draw a map they can’t draw themselves,” Cook said. “The alleged victim’s statements don’t in any way line up. She has changed her story several times. They don’t paint a complete picture.”
After a long pause he reminded the jury “It’s up to you to judge whether they pass muster, if you choose to believe the victim.”
The trial, with more than 16 witnesses from area law enforcement, both families and several neighbors, is expected to run through Friday with a verdict on Monday.
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