A former Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office captain has been charged with felony theft following a months-long investigation into the alleged conduct.
Crime Watch Minneapolis first reported in April about rumors that Captain Steven Labatt had resigned from his position supervising the sheriff’s forensic lab amid unspecified theft allegations.
Labatt’s departure was confirmed by the sheriff’s office about two weeks later in mid-May, along with information indicating ongoing investigations into two complaints.
Due to the conflict of interest for Hennepin County, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office headed the investigation into Labatt’s alleged conduct, the Star Tribune reported in May.
Labatt, 58, was charged by summons on Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court with one felony count of theft involving indifference to owner rights.
The complaint alleges that Labatt, while still employed by the county in February 2025, took a Honda generator and a container with fuel from the Hennepin County Crime Lab for personal use.
The missing generator came to light in March, when multiple email communications commenced among staff regarding the disappearance, and continued into April. The communications included Labatt and contained a request that the generator be returned.
The sheriff’s office eventually purchased a replacement generator at a cost of over $1,200, along with two air tags to put on the new generator.
The complaint states that Labatt later admitted to taking the generator for ice fishing and said he forgot it at the lake when he returned home. Labatt further made no attempt to find or recover the generator, nor did he immediately respond to the sheriff’s office about the missing generator, according to the complaint. Labatt did not replace or offer to replace the generator until after a new one was purchased, the complaint says.
Labatt is not currently in custody and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Nov. 20. Court records show Labatt has retained defense attorney Joseph Tamburino.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
