Citing proof and statute of limitations, state dismisses case against gymnastics coach

Court documents show Hennepin County prosecutors have dismissed their case against a New Brighton man who had been accused of sexual misconduct.

As previously reported by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, David Robert Carlson was formally charged last summer with engaging in electronic communications involving sexual conduct with a child and distributing sexual material to a child by electronic communications.

However, documents filed in court on Monday show those charges have since been dismissed.

According to the dismissal document, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says the state can’t “meet the burden of proof based on the Statute of Limitations.”

Carlson had been charged by summons and wasn’t in custody at the time charges were filed, which was done after a mandated reporter contacted Brooklyn Park police. The reporter said the victim’s gymnastics coach had had inappropriate contact with him between 2015-2019.