Eden Prairie wrestling coach charged with criminal sexual conduct

An Eden Prairie wrestling coach has been charged with sexually assaulting a young girl he coached.

According to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, 43-year-old Mustafa Shabazz was charged Tuesday with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

A criminal complaint states Shakopee and Eden Prairie police began investigating Shabazz in February. The victim was 9 years old when Shabazz became her coach in 2018 in Eden Prairie. By spring of 2019, after recovering from an injury, the girl refused to return to wrestling. After several months, she told a friend and her parents that Shabazz had inappropriately touched her, the attorney's office said.

The girl allegedly told investigators Shabazz touched her inappropriately over her clothes while demonstrating wrestling moves but kept telling her it was an accident, the complaint states.

Last summer, another girl reported feeling uncomfortable around Shabazz because he'd give her tight hugs and caress her back while at wrestling tournaments. Eventually, an administrator questioned Shabazz about the allegations and he resigned.

The girl later told investigators Shabazz also touched her inappropriately over her clothes, the complaint states.

Because he held a position of authority over the girls, prosecutors are seeking an aggravated sentence against Shabazz, the attorney's office said.

Shabazz's first court appearance is set for June 1.