Brooklyn Center Man Pleads Guilty To 12 Counts Sex Crimes Against Children
A Brooklyn Center man has admitted to sexually assaulting more than a dozen children.
Aaron Hjermstad, 46, was a coach and teacher at two Minneapolis charter schools, where prosecutors say he met his victims.
He was previously convicted in 2022 for sexually assaulting multiple children.
In that case, the abuse occurred in his Brooklyn Center home, where his players would occasionally spend the night.
However, after his conviction, he fled the state.
Police re-arrested him in Idaho and find evidence of at least 12 more sex crimes in his vehicle. That evidence included video of the assaults.
Each of his victims was under the age of 13.
The assaults occurred between 2013 and 2021.
He pleaded guilty and is expected to receive a life sentence. Per his plea agreement, he’ll be eligible for parole after serving 30 years of his sentence.
“Mr. Hjermstad was a trusted member of the community, and he abused that trust to harm children,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “This guilty plea holds him accountable and will protect our community by ensuring that he is not able to harm anyone else. My thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones who have endured significant trauma and harm.”
