Former youth basketball coach charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct

6/29/2020

A former youth basketball coach from Brooklyn Center has been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday.

Aaron Hjermstad, 41, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually abusing a child he coached. He was arrested last week after a warrant was issued June 25. Hjermstad was also charged in a separate case, June 10, with second-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually abusing another youth athlete he coached. Hjermstad made his first court appearance June 29. His next scheduled appearance is July 29. Bail has been set at $500,000.

According to the criminal complaint, on June 10, 2020, Brooklyn Center police received a report of sexual child abuse committed by Hjermstad. The 14-year-old boy informed 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, during which time the victim stayed at his house “four to five times.” The victim continued, stating that the last time he was at Hjermstad’s home, he awoke to Hjermstad sexually abusing him, the complaint says. The incidences occurred from August 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, when the victim was between 10 and 12 years old.

In the case 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, Hjermstad while he was staying over his house February 28, 2020.

The victim was interviewed by CornerHouse, where he described an incident in which Hjermstad sexually abused him, and also, inappropriately interacted with him between October 1, 2019 – November 6, 2019. The victim stated that these interactions happened while the victim was staying over the coach’s home, and also mentioned that his brother was sleeping in another room when Hjermstad sexually abused him, the complaint says.

Aaron Hjermstad Criminal Complaint – June 29 (PDF)

Aaron Hjermstad Criminal Complaint – June 10 (PDF)