Anoka County attorney cites legal gaps in Fridley school sexual misconduct case

FRIDLEY, Minn. — Anoka County prosecutors declined charges in a school sexual misconduct investigation involving a 17-year-old student and an unlicensed paraprofessional, County Attorney Brad Johnson told KSTP.

Johnson said investigators found evidence of sexual conduct involving the student and the employee, who was 20 at the time. He said licensed-educator provisions did not cover the employee, while their 31-month age difference fell below the 36- or 48-month requirements in other provisions considered. His office explained the decision in a July letter.

Fridley Public Schools told KSTP that the employee has not been terminated and remains on administrative leave. The district said it would resume its internal investigation after obtaining materials from the county’s completed review.

Fridley’s published Policy 423 on employee-student relationships prohibits sexual relationships between employees and students regardless of a student’s age. It applies to employees both on and off duty and on and off district property. The policy also prohibits dating students and sexual interactions with them, and directs staff to maintain professional boundaries and recognize their authority and influence over students.

The policy requires employee cooperation with investigations and provides for district action that can include suspension, termination or other measures. Its list of possible responses does not prescribe a single automatic outcome for every allegation. This personnel process addresses district standards separately from the prosecutor’s assessment of whether criminal charges can be filed.

Johnson said he is working with the Zero Abuse Project to pursue changes. He also said the new grooming law might have offered another option had it applied at the time.

Minnesota’s 2026 education law, Chapter 108, established a felony grooming offense and added school-specific provisions involving employees and contractors. The criminal provisions took effect August 1, 2026, and apply to conduct committed on or after that date. The school-related provision addresses specified solicitation, communication or grooming conduct involving someone employed or contracted to provide school services and a student enrolled there.

The student and employee are not identified in this article. No criminal charges were filed in the case described by KSTP.

Sources: KSTP’s November 4 report, Fridley Public Schools’ published policy and the 2026 session law linked above. The underlying investigative records and declination letter were not independently reviewed.