Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Former Twin Cities Teacher Sentenced to Life for 12 Additional Child Sex Abuse Counts

Evidence recovered after an Idaho traffic stop uncovered thousands of organized videos that identified victims younger than 13.

Overview

  • A Hennepin County judge imposed life in prison Tuesday, with parole eligibility after 30 years and 1,457 days credited as time served.
  • Hjermstad pleaded guilty in September to 12 first-degree counts tied to abuse between 2013 and 2021 involving children under 13.
  • Many of the children were connected to teams he coached or schools where he taught, including Excell Academy and Harvest Best Academy.
  • He was already serving a 12-year term for assaults on four boys, and if paroled he would face lifetime conditional release and predatory-offender registration.
  • Investigators reported thousands of videos and files organized by victim, with a warrant noting 127 sets of initials, and a separate civil suit against Best Academy ended in a September settlement.