More sexual assault charges are filed against a former teacher and coach in Minneapolis.
A former charter school coach already in jail for sexual assault, is now facing an additional 12 counts of criminal sexual conduct involving 12 children under the age of 13.
According to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, Aaron Hjermstad of Brooklyn Center coached many of these children at The Mastery School in North Minneapolis. He also was a coach at Hospitality House and Havest Best Academy.
“The number of children who were sexually assaulted by Hjermstad is horrific,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “Hjermstad intentionally harmed children who had every right to trust him as their teacher and coach. We will seek lengthy prison sentences to keep children in our community safe.
The assaults reportedly happened over an eight-year period. After he was convicted in 2021 for sexually assaulting four boys he had coached, Hjermstad fled the state and was captured in Idaho.
“As a community we must do more to help abused children come forward and to provide resources to heal the harm inflicted upon them,” Moriarty said. “Abuse is never a child’s fault.”