Man accused of holding girlfriend captive in Minnesota college dorm room reaches plea deal

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A man who was accused of holding his girlfriend captive in her dorm room at a Minnesota college for three days has reached a plea deal that calls for a sentence of up to 7 1/2 years. Twenty-year-old Keanu Avery Labatte, of Granite Falls, pleaded guilty Friday (July 12, 2024) to an amended charge. He admitted to choking and sexually assaulting the woman at St. Catherine University in September. In return, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports, prosecutors dropped other charges. His attorney says Labatte admits to choking the woman during the assault but denies waterboarding her or holding her hostage.