Eagan Church Responds After Ex-Pastor Charged With Sex Crimes

EAGAN, MN — Eagan Hills Church said it is fully cooperating with legal authorities after a former lead pastor was charged in the sexual assault of two women.

Bruce Douglas Konold, 61, of Eagan faces 12 counts of criminal sexual conduct and one count of harassment.

The specific charges include:

• Harassment (Pattern of Stalking Conduct)
• Criminal Sexual Conduct in the 3rd Degree (Clergy) (Ongoing Meeting for Advice)
• Criminal Sexual Conduct in the 3rd Degree (Prohibited Occupational Relationship)

According to the church, as of February of this year, he was no longer associated with the Eagan Hills community. Konold was pastor of the church for 30 years, authorities said.

A church spokesperson told Patch that "conduct leading to these charges did not come to the attention of Eagan Hills Church until March 2022, after Mr. Konold had resigned and retired from pastoral ministry."

Read the full statement from the church below:

Eagan Hills Alliance Church leadership is aware that criminal charges have been filed by the Dakota County Attorney against former Lead Pastor Bruce Konold. As of February of this year, he was no longer associated with the Eagan Hills community.

Leadership continues to fully cooperate with the legal authorities, and we are doing all we can to support those negatively impacted by his activities.

It is our commitment to provide a safe environment for this community, providing extensive specialized training for paid and volunteer leaders, rewriting policies and procedures, and establishing layers of accountability where abuse cannot happen.

Eagan Hills Alliance Church strongly condemns abuse and harassment of any kind, and we consider such a violation of trust to be a very serious issue.

Konold was pastor of the church for 30 years, authorities said. Under Minnesota law, it is a felony for religious clergy to have sexual relations with a person who is not their spouse while providing that person with spiritual guidance.

If convicted, Konold faces up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

A 20-year-old woman began attending his church in 2021, according to police. Konold began inviting the woman to his Eagan home regularly, and at one point told her that "he knew she needed a father figure and that he would like to be that for her," the criminal complaint states.

During the woman's college break, Konold invited her to stay at his house, according to investigators.

He gave her several alcoholic drinks, police said. She was underage and had never drunk alcohol before, according to the criminal complaint.

Konold followed her into her bedroom and tried to get her clothes off, but he eventually stopped, police said. Later that year, Konold began "regularly engaging in sex acts" with the woman, who said "certain incidents that didn’t feel consensual," according to the criminal complaint.

After the acts began, Konold would often talk of suicide and carried his gun with him, police said. At one point, told the woman, "what if we both just died and that would take care of it," investigators said.

According to the criminal complaint, in March of 2022, Konold's wife texted the woman and said "Bruce told me everything. I already knew lots of it. His phone is shut off and he will no longer respond to you. I suggest you find someone to help you through this. Do not contact me or MY husband."

Police said that Konold carried engaged in illegal sexual contact with another woman — who was 30 and was married —between November 2020 and January 2021. During that time period, Konold expressed concerns about the church supporting the women's ongoing mission work, according to investigators.

According to the criminal complaint, Konold told her "it was not right that they continue to support an adulteress” and quoted a Bible verse regarding adulterous women being "stoned."