Former Minnesota Teacher of the Year sentenced to 14 years for sexually abusing student

A former teacher at Harvest Best Academy in Minneapolis will spend more than a decade behind bars for sexually abusing one of his students.

Abdul Jameel Wright, 39, was convicted in September on one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct by a person in a position of authority against a 13–15-year-old victim.

A judge on Friday sentenced Wright to more than 14 years (172 months) in prison for the crime. He will also be required to register as a predatory sexual offender and will spend 10 years on conditional release.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the presumptive sentence for Wright’s conviction was 12 years, but her office fought for a lengthier term because he used his position of authority to abuse a student.

“Mr. Wright abused his authority and engaged in grossly inappropriate behavior,” Moriarty said in a statement. “My thoughts are with the victim in this case, who exhibited incredible courage in providing her testimony to help secure a conviction.”

As previously reported, Wright groomed and sexually abused one of his eighth-grade students starting in 2017. The assaults took place on school property, in Wright’s car, in a basement where Wright was staying and at the victim’s mother’s apartment.

The victim came forward years later, and Moriarty’s office said her testimony contributed to a guilty verdict at trial.

Wright was named Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2016 while he was an employee at Harvest Best Academy. He left the school in 2021 and went on to teach at St. Louis Park High School until his resignation in June 2024.

In a statement released in September, Harvest Best Academy said it was “thankful that Wright has been held accountable for his actions.”

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