Former teacher accused of grooming student pleads guilty to child endangerment

A former Minnesota teacher is pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of endangering a child after being accused of grooming a student, according to Fox 29.

A former teacher at Eden Prairie High School, 51-year-old Craig Hollenbeck, messaged a student about his “undeniable” feelings during the 2020-2021 school year, which experts told investigators was grooming, according to Fox 29. Hollenbeck is pleading guilty to a charge of endangering a child, which could result in a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail with two years of supervised probation.

Hollenbeck was first charged with one count of endangering a child in October after an investigation found that Hollenbeck was allegedly texting a student that he had fallen in love with her, Fox 29 reported. Hollenbeck would allegedly FaceTime the student and lock the classroom door while they were alone.

The relationship lasted four month during which Hollenbeck told the student his feelings for her were “undeniable,” Fox 29 reported. Hollenbeck did not face any sexual misconduct charges but experts deemed Hollenback’s actions as grooming, saying the relationship had the potential to “cause substantial harm” to the “emotional or mental health” of the student, leading to an endangering a child charge.

Former students of Hollenbeck’s said the teacher would message students on social media and text them after school, Fox 29 reported. Hollenbeck resigned from his position at the school in September 2021.

Eden Prairie High School and the Eden Prairie Police Department did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!