A former Twin Cities basketball coach pleaded guilty Thursday to abusing 12 children, and agreed to a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Aaron Hjermstad, 46, pleaded guilty in Hennepin County District Court to 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Authorities found video evidence of him abusing 12 children. Hjermstad taught at Excell Academy and Harvest Best Academy, charter schools in Brooklyn Park and north Minneapolis, respectively, that predominately teach Black students.
As part of the plea deal, Hjermstad agreed to a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 25.
Hennepin County District Court Judge Carolina Lamas began Thursday’s hearing by asking Hjermstad if he was prepared to plead guilty instead of moving forward with a jury trial.
“Is that what you would like to do today Mr. Hjermstad?” Lamas asked.
“Yes,” replied Hjermstad, who appeared in court with a shaved head and wearing an orange jumpsuit.
Hjermstad was initially scheduled to start trial on the charges Tuesday, but that was moved to Sept. 8. Then a plea hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
Hjermstad’s public defender, Lisa Skrzeczkoski-Bzdusek, went though each count of the indictment with Hjermstad, asking if he agreed that he abused that child. Hjermstad said that he had, looking down as he answered.
She also asked Hjermstad if he was in a position of authority as the coach of some of the children who were staying in his home.
“You were the adult responsible for his care, is that correct?” Skrzeczkoski-Bzdusek asked about one of the children.
“Yes,” Hjermstad replied.
Attorney Molly Burke, who is representing some of Hjermstad’s victims in a civil lawsuit, said the plea provides justice to victims who no longer have to testify or take part in a difficult trial. She said the sentence also means that Hjermstad will be kept away from victims and their families for a long time.
“It’s a triumph in that way, for the families today to be able to bring some closure and to know that they sought and obtained accountability for him, and for all of the hurt that he perpetrated,” Burke told Sahan Journal.
Hjermstad was convicted in 2021 of sexually assaulting four other children he coached, and is serving 12 years in prison in that case.
READ ABOUT HOW AARON HJERMSTAD SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS
Who is Aaron Hjermstad?
Hjermstad was a founding staff member at Excell Academy in Brooklyn Park, and started teaching physical education there in 2001. He also volunteered at Hospitality House, a faith-based nonprofit in north Minneapolis, where he coached basketball.
In 2015, a student at Excell Academy reported that he was sexually assaulted by Hjermstad. Police investigated, but no charges were filed at the time. Excell did not renew Hjermstad’s contract for the next school year, and in 2016 he got a job at the Mastery School, a charter school that is now consolidated under Harvest Best Academy. He also continued coaching at Hospitality House after leaders at the nonprofit supported him despite the allegations.
Hjermstad abused more children, and was charged in 2020 after another student came forward. The 2015 case was also charged, and then two more boys came forward. He was convicted in all four cases after a bench trial in 2021.
The student, Jazz, who came forward in 2015 and his mother, Alexis, spoke with Sahan Journal, reflecting on their experience. They and Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing some of the victims, said they believe Hjermstad, who is white, deliberately targeted Black boys.
Jazz and other boys said Hjermstad provided them with snacks, and let them play video games if they slept over at his home in Brooklyn Center. He also took them to Timberwolves games and gave them rides to basketball practice.
Alexis told Sahan Journal that Hjermstad was a well-known figure in the community, and built trust among parents. She said her son still suffers trauma from the abuse 10 years later.
“This is not just something that happens one time to a kid and then they deal with it. My child, now an adult, is still dealing and suffering behind it,” Alexis said. “They dropped the ball. I believed my son from the beginning, but to hear that there was more boys, and then there’s more boys, it’s just like, are you kidding me?”
According to experts, Hjermstad was able to keep teaching after the 2015 allegations due to loopholes in Minnesota law, challenges in the criminal justice system and the school’s approach to investigating the allegations.
What led to the additional charges?
Months before his sentencing on Feb. 2, 2022, Hjermstad, who was out on bail, fled the state. He was pulled over on Nov. 30, 2021, by police in Idaho.
Idaho State Police Corporal Jared Shively testified at a hearing in Hennepin County District Court earlier this year, and said he stopped Hjermstad after he failed to properly signal a lane change as he exited the interstate.
Shively testified that he smelled marijuana when he approached Hjermstad’s vehicle. After speaking with Hjermstad, he learned that Hjermstad’s car was on loan from a dealership, and that he was not supposed to be outside of Minnesota due to his criminal case. Shively testified that Hjermstad said he was driving back from a Minnesota Vikings game in California.
Shively told the court he searched Hjermstad’s car, and found a piece of paper with a list of about 200 children’s names. Shively said some of the names had asterisks next to them, and that the paper had the phrase, “slept in Aaron’s bed,” written on it to indicate the meaning behind the asterisks.
He also found 27 digital memory cards, multiple laptops and court papers.
Months before his sentencing on Feb. 2, 2022, Hjermstad, who was out on bail, fled the state. He was pulled over on Nov. 30, 2021, by police in Idaho.
Idaho State Police Corporal Jared Shively testified at a hearing in Hennepin County District Court earlier this year, and said he stopped Hjermstad after he failed to properly signal a lane change as he exited the interstate.
Shively testified that he smelled marijuana when he approached Hjermstad’s vehicle. After speaking with Hjermstad, he learned that Hjermstad’s car was on loan from a dealership, and that he was not supposed to be outside of Minnesota due to his criminal case. Shively testified that Hjermstad said he was driving back from a Minnesota Vikings game in California.
Shively told the court he searched Hjermstad’s car, and found a piece of paper with a list of about 200 children’s names. Shively said some of the names had asterisks next to them, and that the paper had the phrase, “slept in Aaron’s bed,” written on it to indicate the meaning behind the asterisks.
He also found 27 digital memory cards, multiple laptops and court papers.
According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) analyzed evidence from the Idaho traffic stop, and found thousands of videos of Hjermstad allegedly assaulting children, some at his Brooklyn Center home. That evidence includes the 12 victims in Hjermstad’s current trial.
The BCA has identified about 40 victims, and believes there are about 80 additional victims. Authorities have declined to say why charges have not been filed for the other identified victims, but say the investigation is ongoing.
