Former Brooklyn Center youth basketball coach charged in 2 criminal sexual conduct cases

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced on Monday that a former youth basketball coach from Brooklyn Center has been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and second-degree criminal sexual conduct in two separate cases. 

A new release from the attorney's office states Aaron Hjermstad, 41, has been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually abusing a child he coached. He was also charged in a different case, with second-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually abusing another youth athlete he coached. 

Hjermstad was arrested last week after a warrant was issued for his arrest on June 25. 

According to the criminal complaint, on June 10, Brooklyn Center police received a report of sexual child abuse committed by Hjermstad. The 14-year-old boy told his mother that three years earlier, Hjermstad assaulted him while he was staying at Hjermstad's house in Brooklyn Center. 

The victim was interviewed at CornerHouse where he said that Hjermstad was his basketball coach while he was in fifth and sixth grade. He added during that time he had stayed at Hjermstad's house "four or five times." The victim stated the last time he was at Hjermstad's residence, he awoke to Hjermstad sexually abusing him, the complaint says. The incidences occurred from Aug. 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018 when the victim was between 10 and 12 years old. 

In the separate case that Hjermstad was charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct and soliciting a child, the criminal complaint states that on March 5, 2020, Brooklyn Center police received a report from a 12-year-old boy that he had been propositioned by his coach while he was staying over at his house on Feb. 28, 2020. 

The victim described an incident that involved Hjermstad sexually abusing him, and additionally, inappropriately interacting with him between Oct. 1, 2019 to Nov. 6, 2019. The victim went on to say that these interactions happened while he was staying at Hjermstad's home, and added that his brother was sleeping in another room when Hjermstad sexually abused him, the complaint says.