Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Adam Gentile Pelton, age 40 of River Falls, has been charged with three counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree and four counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Fourth Degree, in connection with the alleged inappropriate touching with sexual intent, of seven high school students from September 1, 2018 to October 4, 2019, in Cottage Grove. At the time these alleged offenses occurred, Pelton was a law enforcement officer with the Cottage Grove Police Department who was assigned as the School Resource Officer for Park High School. Backstrom indicated his Office is handling this case on a conflict basis for the Washington County Attorney’s Office and that the investigation in this case was conducted by the Apple Valley Police Department. Pelton has been on administrative leave since the investigation began in October of 2019. According to the criminal complaint, after reports were made by several Park High School female students of inappropriate sexual contact initiated by a School Resource Officer, identified as Pelton, the Apple Valley Police Department was requested to begin an investigation. During the course of this investigation it was learned that seven of these students claimed that Pelton repeatedly initiated hugs with them during which he would touch their buttocks over their clothing. When questioned during the investigation, Pelton denied touching any student’s buttocks. 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”. 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, or $50,000 with conditions, and set his next court appearance for March 2, at 1 PM in Stillwater.
