A former Cottage Grove police officer who was assigned as the school resource officer for Park High School has admitted to sexually touching seven students and asking one to send nude photos of herself through Snapchat.
Adam Gentile Pelton, 42, of River Falls, Wis., pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of felony fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with touching the students at school from Sept. 1, 2018, to Oct. 4, 2019.
He will be sentenced June 24 in Washington County District Court.
A second-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction carries a maximum of 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.
At the time of the incidents, three of the students were between the ages of 13 and 15 and four were 16 to 17 years of age, charges say.
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.
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.”
Most of the 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.
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.