A Cottage Grove police officer assigned as the school resource officer for Park High School is accused of asking for hugs from students and then touching their buttocks, and asking one student to send nude photos of herself through Snapchat.
Adam Gentile Pelton, 40, of River Falls, Wis., was charged Tuesday with three counts of felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of felony fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the alleged touching of seven students from Sept. 1, 2018, to Oct. 4, 2019.
Pelton made his first court appearance Tuesday in Washington County District Court in Stillwater. He was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond, but is due back in court March 2.
Pelton has been on administrative leave since the investigation began in October 2019, Cottage Grove police said in a statement.
“As soon as allegations were brought forth, (the police department) responded immediately with a preliminary investigation,” the statement read. “Within 24 hours, the case was turned over to an outside agency to conduct an independent investigation.” The city and police department declined further comment.
Pelton’s attorney did not return a call Tuesday seeking comment.
According to the criminal complaint:
Apple Valley police began investigating on Oct. 4, 2019, after reports were made by several Park High female students of inappropriate sexual contact initiated by Pelton. Investigators learned that seven students at the Cottage Grove school said he repeatedly initiated hugs with them during which he would touch their buttocks over their clothing.
Most of the alleged criminal conduct happened in Pelton’s private office, which did not have video surveillance. The investigation, however, did find video of Pelton initiating hugs with female students in school hallways.
Several students reported that Pelton would often call or refer to them as “beautiful” and “sweetheart.”
One student reported that Pelton called her beautiful and told her if he were her age, he would date her. The student also reported receiving Snapchat messages from Pelton, who used the user name “OfficerPelton86.” In one of the messages, he made lunch plans with her over summer break.
Another student said that Pelton would rest his hand on her buttocks four to five days a week while receiving a hug. She also reported that in May 2019, when she was 17 years old, she received three requests over Snapchat from Pelton to send him nude photographs, which the student never sent.
When questioned during the investigation, Pelton denied touching any student’s buttocks. He 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.”
When an investigator told Pelton she was 17 years old at the time of the request, Pelton did not respond.
At the time the alleged sexual touching, three of the student victims were between the ages of 13 and 15 and four were 16 to 17 years of age, according to the criminal complaint.
The Dakota County attorney’s office is prosecuting the case to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. The investigation was done by Apple Valley police.
According to the attorney’s office, Minnesota law states 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.
A second-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction carries a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.
Pelton was a part-time firefighter/EMT and community service officer for Cottage Grove before being hired as a police officer in July 2009, according to the city.
Prior to being assigned as school resource officer at Park in September 2018, Pelton was the resource officer at Cottage Grove Middle School from January 2017 to June 2018.
Park Principal Todd Herber notified parents of the charges Tuesday through an email, calling them “both surprising and upsetting. At Park High School, our first priority is the safety and well-being of the children you place in our care.”