A special education teacher and dance team coach is facing criminal sexual conduct charges after she allegedly had sex with one of her students and purchased alcohol for minors.
Ann Margaret Bacon, 24, told police she had sex with an 18-year-old student five times in a hotel room in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, according to the criminal complaint.
She was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court with misdemeanor third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Bacon soon resigned from her position at Tartan High School in Oakdale, the school’s principal announced in a statement Tuesday.
Although the student was technically an adult when the sexual encounters occurred, people in positions of power, such as teachers, can still be fired and charged under state laws governing the act of professional misconduct.
She was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court with misdemeanor third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Ann Margaret Bacon, 24, told police she had sex five times with an 18-year-old student in a hotel room in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota. She was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court with misdemeanor third-degree criminal sexual conduct
Bacon (left) initially denied sexual encounters with her 18-year-old student, but then turned around and admitted to police that he had rented a hotel room to have sex with him a “handful” of times. Bacon (far right) also denied ever purchasing alcohol for the teens, but acknowledged a $40 Venmo payment labeled “liqq” in June. Pictured: Bacon with other dance team coaches
The former teacher was arrested after a school employee and school administration notified local police of her sex acts and alcohol purchases, the complaint said.
According to the complaint, she told police her relationship with the student began in July and that she previously had sex with the male student in May. Bacon added that she rented a hotel room to have sex with him a “handful” of times because she lived in her parents’ basement.
The investigation revealed that Bacon met with the unidentified teen five times between May 8 and July 4, the complaint said.
Data from the hotel has also confirmed these dates.
A witness also told authorities she learned Bacon had a sexual relationship with the victim in early May, when the teen was one of her students, according to legal documents.
That same witness said they reported the crime to the school in July, but had no evidence of the relationship. They then reported it again in February because they were concerned Bacon was still teaching, the complaint said.
When confronted with the allegations, Bacon initially denied the improper relationship with the school district, the complaint said.
Another witness, the victim’s ex-girlfriend, told police that the student requested a breakup of their relationship in May and that she knew nothing about Bacon’s relationship with the teen at the time, the complaint said.
The ex-girlfriend, also identified as Witness B, told police that the victim was secretly seeing Bacon, and that the teacher bought alcohol for them, according to the complaint.
Witness B says she and the victim rekindled their relationship in August and she discovered sexual messages and nude photos between him and Bacon on the teen’s phone.
Photos on the phone showed Bacon drinking alcohol at the hotel with the victim and his friends, court documents said.
The victim has since told police that he and Bacon are currently dating and that he is staying with her at her new apartment, the complaint stated.
Bacon eventually confessed to having sex with the victim, the complaint said.
Bacon soon resigned from her position at Tartan High School, located in Oakdale, the school’s principal announced in a statement Tuesday
The former teacher was arrested and charged after a school employee and school administration notified local police of her sex acts and alcohol purchases
Photos found by police on Bacon’s phone (far left) showed her drinking alcohol at the hotel with the victim and his friends. Authorities also found sexual messages and nude photos on the teen’s phone between him and the teacher
During her confession, Bacon told police that the victim was one of her students when the sexual encounters began and they stopped in July.
Documents showed Bacon said she started seeing the student again in November and they are not currently in a relationship.
She also denied ever purchasing alcohol for the teens, but acknowledged a $40 Venmo payment that was labeled “liqq” in June, the documents say.
Bacon said she could not remember what the payment was for or who sent it to her.
Bethany DeCent, the high school’s principal, sent a statement to staff and students on Tuesday following Bacon’s investigation.
‘I am writing to inform you of the recent dismissal of a Tartan teacher, Ann Bacon. We have been informed by local police that Ann Bacon is under investigation for alleged misconduct.”
“We can be assured that the trust and safety of our students remains our top priority. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement’s investigation and will continue to do so throughout the process.”
‘We understand that this news affects our school community. School counselors and administrators are available to all students who need support,” DeCant said in the message.
Bacon made his first court appearance Tuesday morning and is expected for a pretrial hearing on March 20.