School Cop Sexually Abused 7 Students In Cottage Grove: Complaint

TWIN CITIES, MN — A former school resource officer is accused of sexually abusing seven high school students in Cottage Grove, authorities said. Adam Gentile Pelton, 40, of River Falls, Wisconsin, has been charged with three counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct.

Authorities claim the inappropriate touching occurred between Sept. 1, 2018 and Oct. 4, 2019. Pelton was a law enforcement officer with the Cottage Grove Police Department who was assigned as the school resource officer for Park High School at the time, according to the criminal complaint.

The Dakota County Sheriff's Office is handling this case for the Washington County Attorney’s Office in order to avoid any conflict of interest. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Apple Valley Police Department after several girls who attend Park High School reported Pelton for inappropriate sexual contact.

Pelton has been on administrative leave since the investigation began in October of 2019, according to a news release.

Seven students claimed that Pelton repeatedly initiated hugs with them during which he would touch their buttocks over their clothing, the complaint states.

Pelton had his own private office within the school, and there was no video surveillance there. It was in this office that most of the criminal conduct occurred, investigators said.

The investigation, however, did find video of Pelton initiating hugs with female students in the hallways of the school, according to the criminal complaint.

Several students reported that Pelton would often call or refer to them as "beautiful" and "sweetheart," according to the complaint. One of the students reported that Pelton called her beautiful and told her if he were her age, he would date her, police said.

This student also reported receiving Snapchat messages from Pelton, according to investigators. In one of those messages he made lunch plans with her over summer break, the complaint states.

Another student stated that Pelton would rest his hand on her buttocks four to five days a week during school while receiving a hug, police said. She also reported receiving three requests over Snapchat to send him nude photographs which the student never sent, according to the complaint.

When questioned during the investigation, Pelton denied touching any student’s buttocks, investigators said. He also initially denied asking any student for nude pictures, but later acknowledged asking one student for such pictures after she graduated from high school "as a joke," authorities said.

At the time the inappropriate sexual touching occurred, three of the students were between the ages of 13 and 15 and four were 16 to 17 years of age, according to investigators.

Under Minnesota law, a person is guilty of a felony offense if the person touches a minor’s intimate parts, which includes touching of buttocks over clothing; and the person is more than 48 months older than and in a position of authority over the minor.

The offense is in the fourth degree if the victim is 16 to 17-years-old and in the second degree if the victim is 13 to 15-years-old.

Pelton made his first court appearance on these charges Tuesday morning in Washington County District Court. Judge Tad Jude set bail in the amount of $150,000 without conditions ($ 50,000 with conditions) and set his next court appearance for March 2 in Stillwater.