Hennepin County Attorney’s Office secures guilty plea, life-sentence for multiple victim criminal sexual conduct case

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office secured a guilty plea Thursday from Aaron James Hjermstad, 45, on 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, involving penetration of 12 different victims – all under the age of 13 at the time of the assaults. The assaults occurred between 2013 and 2021. Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Hjermstad, a former coach and teacher at two Minneapolis charter schools, will be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the rape and sexual assault of at least 12 victims.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office had already secured convictions in 2022 against Mr. Hjermstad for similar assaults against 3 other victims, but Hjermstad fled the state before he was sentenced in that matter. The full extent of Hjermstad’s crimes came to light from evidence that was obtained during his re-arrest.

“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 willprotect 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.

“I want to thank the BCA for their thorough work on these cases, ensuring that we were able to hold Mr. Hjermstad accountable for these horrific crimes.”

Mr. Hjermstad is currently scheduled to be sentenced on 11/25/25 at 9:00 AM.

Case Number: 27-CR-24-20335

#30#