Former Teacher and Convicted Child Abuser Faces 12 New Charges
Serial Offender Given Access to Kids in Public Schools for Decades
(Saint Paul, MN) – Yesterday, The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced a grand jury indictment of an additional 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct against serial child abuser Aaron Hjermstad. All the 12 additional counts represent sexual assaults of children under the age of 13.
Hjermstad was formerly employed first at Excell Academy for 15 years, then at The Mastery School, coached basketball at Mastery School and Best Academy, and at the community organization Hospitality House. He was sentenced in February of 2022 to 144 months for sexually abusing minors.
“For 20 years, Hjermstad had access to children as a teacher and coach and targeted vulnerable children and families in Minneapolis’s Northeast community,” said attorney Molly Burke. “Multiple schools and Hospitality House justified his grooming and predatory behaviors, which perpetuated his access and sexual abuse of children.”
In June 2020, Hjermstad was criminally charged with sexually abusing minors. Following that charge, another courageous survivor reported to law enforcement he was sexually abused and later filed a civil lawsuit alleging Hjermstad sexually abused him between 2016 and 2018 when Hjermstad coached basketball at Mastery School and Best Academy.
In 2015, an Excell student and Hospitality House basketball player reported he was sexually abused by Hjermstad. This incident was reported to police and investigated, but Hjermstad was not charged. Hospitality House reinstated him as a coach. And the following year, in 2016, Mastery School hired Hjermstad as a teacher and coach for Mastery School and Best Academy. Following the additional reports of sexual abuse by courageous survivors in 2020, Hjermstad was criminally convicted.
“Hjermstad was allowed to roam from school to school and in the community with the intention to harm vulnerable children,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “We applaud the survivors who have come forward and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office’s decision to prosecute him further.”