A suspected armed robber is accused of trying to reach out from behind bars at the Butler County Prison to persuade the alleged victim to change his testimony at trial.

Jahote C. Dorsey Jr.’s letter ended with the postscript: “Don’t let anyone know that we talked or its my (expletive),” according to court documents.

But although prison officers intercepted the letter before it was mailed, the 21-year-old Dorsey of Butler finds himself in deeper trouble with the law.

County detectives Tuesday charged him with intimidation and attempted intimidation of a witness or victim.

Dorsey already was locked up, awaiting trial on charges that he and another man on Jan. 2 tried to rob Oliver Philogene at the victim’s apartment in Evans City.

When Philogene, 21, fought back, he was shot in the forearm by Dorsey’s alleged accomplice.

Police only learned of the shooting after Philogene, on his own, showed up at UPMC Passavant hospital in Cranberry Township for treatment of a gunshot wound.

An emergency room nurse notified authorities.

Both suspects were arrested three days later and charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, and robbery, all felonies.

Both remain in the county prison without bail.

On May 5, while inspecting outgoing mail, a correctional officer noticed the initials “JD” at the top left corner of an envelope, authorities said.

The officer flagged the letter, penned by Dorsey, because under prison policy, inmates’ names must be written on envelopes.

The envelope was addressed to a former inmate. One letter in the envelope was for the addressee, investigators said. A second, shorter letter was intended for Philogene.

Dorsey asked the ex-inmate to hand deliver the letter to Philogene. In that letter, Detective Charles Barger said, the defendant confessed to shooting the victim.

He also asked Philogene to go to prosecutors to convince them to drop the case against him.

“Please talk to the DA about me,” he wrote. “If you can tell them you miss heard or unsure, then I should be good. or if you tell them that I had nothing to (do) with it (it) will help. PLEASE.”

A preliminary hearing for Dorsey is set for July 11 before District Judge William Fullerton.