Former teacher sentenced to life in prison for 12 additional counts of assaulting kids

On Tuesday, Aaron Hjermstad, who is already serving 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting four boys, was sentenced to life in prison on 12 additional charges of criminal sexual conduct.

The 46-year-old used to coach and teach at two Minneapolis charter schools: The Mastery School and Harvest Best Academy.

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He was convicted of sexually assaulting four boys he previously coached and sentenced in 2022 to 12 years in prison. Before the sentencing on those cases, Hjermstad was pulled over and apprehended in Idaho, during which time officials found thousands of videos of Hjermstad assaulting children.

He was indicted on 12 new counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, which he pleaded guilty to in September.

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All 12 victims were under the age of 13, and the assaults occurred from 2013 to 2021. Authorities state that he had coached many of the children or one of their relatives.

Hjermstad’s life in prison sentence does carry the possibility of parole after 30 years. If that were granted, Hjermstad would be on lifetime conditional release and a registered predatory offender.

“My thoughts today are solely with the many victims in this case. What they endured as children is nothing short of horrifying,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. “Mr. Hjermstad is being held accountable, and a sentence of this length removes the possibility of further harm at his hands for decades to come.”

Hjermstad has credit for 1,457 days already served.

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The post Former teacher sentenced to life in prison for 12 additional counts of assaulting kids first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.