Former Brooklyn Center teacher and basketball coach found guilty of sex crimes

A former teacher and coach from Brooklyn Center was convicted of multiple sex crimes Thursday, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Aaron Hjermstad, 42, was a teacher at Mastery School in north Minneapolis and basketball coach at nearby Hospitality House. A criminal complaint details an investigation in March of 2020 after law enforcement was notified that a 12-year-old boy had been propositioned by his coach to perform sexual acts for money.

Court documents show there was follow-up investigation by the Brooklyn Center Police Department. In an interview with a child advocate, the 12-year-old indicated there had been multiple incidents with Hjermstad. The boy said he would stay at the coach’s house the night before a basketball game when the sexual acts happened.

Three additional criminal complaints accuse Hjermstad of similar inappropriate acts while boys were staying at his home. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reported Hjermstad was previously investigated, however charges were never filed.

Hjermstad was convicted of multiple criminal sexual conduct charges from four separate cases, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, and is expected to be sentenced to 144 months in prison. These include first-degree criminal sexual conduct, fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct, solicitation of a child and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 21.