A former Minneapolis teacher and coach pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting 12 victims under age 13 and will be sentenced to life in prison, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Under the terms of the agreement, Aaron James Hjermstad, 45, will be sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the rape and sexual assault of at least 12 victims.

Aaron James Hjermstad (Courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Corrections)

A grand jury indicted him in September 2024 in connection with the crimes, which occurred between 2013 and 2021.

The attorney’s office said Hjermstad had coached many of the children or one of their family members. Hjermstad worked as a physical education and health teacher at The Mastery School and a basketball coach at Hospitality House Youth Development and Harvest Best Academy.

At the time he was charged, he’d already been convicted for similar assaults against 3 other victims, but he fled the state before he was sentenced.

In December 2021 he was caught in Idaho during a traffic stop. Law enforcement officials found thousands of videos showing him assaulting children. Some of the videos were taken at his Brooklyn Center home including footage with the 12 victims which led to the additional charges.

“Mr. Hjermstad was a trusted member of the community, and he abused that trust to harm children,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “This guilty plea holds him accountable and will protect our community by ensuring that he is not able to harm anyone else. My thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones who have endured significant trauma and harm.”

His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 25, 2025.

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