Rabbi Yosef Kolko will remain in prison. The former haredi camp counselor from Lakewood, New Jersey will serve the rest of 15-year sentence in state prison after a two-judge appellate court panel rejected his claim that he was coerced by members of the haredi community to falsely plead guilty to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old child in his care at the camp.
Above: Yosef Kolko
Haredi Child Sex Abuser Yehuda Kolko Loses Appeal, Will Stay In Prison Until At Least 2026
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Rabbi Yosef Kolko will remain in prison.
The former haredi camp counselor from Lakewood, New Jersey will serve the rest of 15-year sentence in state prison after a two-judge appellate court panel rejected his claim that he was coerced by members of the haredi community to falsely plead guilty to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old child in his care at the camp, the APP reported.
Judges Harry G. Carroll and Thomas W. Sumners of the Appellate Division of Superior Court ruled yesterday that Kolko’s claims were meritless.
Kolko pleaded guilty in May 2013 during his trial.
Kolko was a counselor at the Yachad summer camp run by the Yeshiva Bais Hatorah School in Lakewood. He also taught at Yeshiva Orchos Chaim School in Lakewood. The abuse took place there in 2008 and 2009, when the child was 11- and 12-years-old.
After the victim and his family went to police, they were mercilessly attacked by members of the haredi community and were ostracized. The family eventually was forced to move to the Midwest to escape the harassment.
One haredi man who attempted to force the family to drop the charges against Kolko was charged with witness tampering in the case.
Kolko’s attorneys tried to have his guilty plea withdrawn before his sentence was handed down in October 2013, but the judge would not allow it.
At that time, Kolko claimed was coerced into pleading guilty by haredim who didn’t want the haredi community further tarnished by bad publicity from the trial. Kolko’s brother also testified then that Kolko gave him a note the morning of the day he pleaded guilty claiming he was being coerced into entering the guilty plea.
However, Kolko’s trial attorney testified at that same hearing and told the court it was the revelation that two more alleged victims had come forward to accuse Kolko and who were ready to testify that caused Kolko to enter the guilty plea.
Yesterday, the appellate panel agreed with the trial judge and rejected Kolko’s claim that his guilty plea had been coerced. It also noted that Kolko never claimed to be innocent in his appeal documents.
Kolko’s earliest possible parole date is in 2026. He is incarcerated in the South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
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