Former Anoka middle school teacher receives max sentence for sex crime charges

A former Anoka teacher received the maximum sentence for sexual conduct charges Wednesday.

Jefferson Fietek, 48, was sentenced to 30 years behind bars — the statutory maximum sentence — for three felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to the Anoka County Attorney’s Office.

In August, Fietek pleaded guilty to those charges. Each count was for a separate young victim. Under his plea agreement, he admitted to sexual acts with two additional victims on the record in court, the attorney’s office said.

Fietek was originally charged with seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, all involving minors, according to a criminal complaint. The various sex crimes took place between 2009 and 2019.

“It is horrible that Fietek took the innocence of young boys for his own pleasure,” Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo said. “Although a 30-year prison sentence will not return that innocence, today is an important step in the healing of those hurt by the defendant.”

In June 2020, the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a former student of Fietek’s, alleging that he had sexually abused him while he was a juvenile at Anoka Middle School for the Arts, formerly known as Fred Moore Middle School. That same day, Anoka County Child Protection reported Fietek sexually abusing a different student, the complaint states.

As the investigation unfolded, at least two other victims came forward.

One victim told police he met Fietek in 2006 through the children’s theatre group Youth Art’s Initiative that Fietek helped found, the complaint says. He was 11 at the time.

Between 2006 and 2010, the victim reported a number of instances of sexual abuse, including abuse during multiple stays overnight at Fietek’s house since his parents were "friendly" with him, the complaint states, but believed other students were often present. He also described sexual encounters while at theater camp in Crow Wing County, in a dressing room after hours at the middle school and in a park. When the victim turned 16, Fietek told him that he was at the age of consent, according to the complaint.

A second victim described meeting Fietek when he was in sixth grade and Fietek beginning to ask personal and sexual questions when he was in eighth grade. They spent a lot of time together outside of school, the complaint details. He recalled sexual abuse from Fietek in 2019 and Fietek requesting he send nude pictures after he moved away to Massachusetts. The victim said he sent pictures about 20 to 30 times but ceased because he began to "realize that it was kind of weird for a grown man to be asking for a 15-year-old’s nudes," the complaint says.

The second victim’s mother believed Fietek to be a good influence and that the adults had become friends after he began bringing her son home from school, the complaint says. They kept in contact after Fietek moved and she said that he’d bought a plane ticket for the victim so that he could come to Massachusetts for a week-long visit.

Multiple victims also recalled an abundance of "Muppets" and "Peter Pan" memorabilia around Fietek’s home, the complaint states.

A third victim stated that Fietek was his theater teacher while he was in sixth-through-eighth grade. In 2010, the two began spending more time together since the victim wanted Fietek’s help drafting an anti-bullying speech to the school board, the complaint states. They also went to places like Mall of America with his mother’s approval; the victim’s mother "respected" Fietek since they worked on a charity together and she was helping with Fietek’s political campaign, according to the complaint. The victim reported many instances of sexual abuse.

"At the time … I was special to him you know, and so I wanted to do whatever it was that I could to make him happy," the victim said, the complaint details.

Fietek allegedly told the third victim that he could never tell anyone about their relationship, saying "but even if you did, there is nothing that can be done. You’re old enough to consent, right?"

The abuse ultimately ended when the victim turned 18 and moved away.

A fourth victim said that Fietek was "touchy-feely" with male students, but man thought of him as a father figure, the complaint says. Their parents also allowed him to spend time outside of school with Fietek since he was "a genuine teacher" and "more of like a family friend than anything."

That victim also said he didn’t tell anyone about the abuse because he thought, due to Fietek’s reputation and being known as an "activist" for many students, that no one would believe him, the complaint says.

Fietek was booked into Anoka County Jail Wednesday.