A new bill moving through the Minnesota Legislature is putting a spotlight on a long-overlooked and deeply harmful reality: the grooming of children by trusted adults within institutions.
At the center of this legislation is the courageous survivor testimony of Hannah LoPresto, who was groomed and sexually assaulted by former Eagan High School band director Brett Benson. WCCO conducted an investigation that exposed how easily inappropriate relationships between adults and minors can develop and go unchecked. Lawmakers are advancing legislation (HF 3489) to make grooming a standalone felony in Minnesota.
This legislation is critical because it closes a longstanding gap in the law, one that has allowed predatory behavior to escalate without consequence until abuse occurs. By criminalizing grooming itself, the bill underscores the importance of identifying and stopping grooming to keep kids safe. It sends a clear message to schools and institutions: protecting children means acting before criminal sexual conduct occurs, not after.
If you have experienced sexual abuse or grooming as a child, contact us confidentially today.
Recent cases across Minnesota, many in schools, underscore why this change is so urgently needed:
- Former Best Academy educators Abdul Wright and Aaron Hjermstad have been sentenced for sexually abusing a child, an example of how trusted figures can exploit their positions over time.
- Jefferson Fietek, a former theater teacher at Anoka Middle School for the Arts in Minnesota, was charged in June 2020 with a total of 10 felony counts of criminal sexual conduct against minors. Fietek’s ability to establish relationships and mentorship allowed him to groom students in the theatre community.
- Outside of the classroom at Circle R Ranch Horse Camp, long-time camp counselor Scott Fortier was convicted in 2026 of sexual assault and child pornography charges. In a camp setting, Fortier weaponized isolation and a lack of parental oversight to groom young campers.
Together, these cases reveal a consistent and troubling pattern: sexual abuse rarely begins with a single act. It begins with grooming, a calculated process of building trust, breaking down boundaries, and creating opportunities for criminal sexual conduct in silence. To truly protect children, we must recognize that sexual abuse starts long before the abuse itself. It is essential to understand the signs of grooming, identify warning behaviors early, and intervene before an inappropriate relationship can develop further. HF 3489 represents a necessary shift in how Minnesota addresses this reality by enabling earlier intervention, strengthening accountability, and putting children’s safety first.
If you have any questions regarding child sexual abuse or need additional resources, visit our questions and answers page.