A special education teacher and dance team coach faces 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 five times with an 18-year-old student in a hotel room in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota, according to the criminal complaint.
She was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court with felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Bacon soon resigned from his position at Tartan High School, located in Oakdale, the school’s principal announced in a statement Tuesday.
Although the student was technically an adult when the sexual encounters took place, 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 felony 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 felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Bacon (left) first denied sexual encounters with his 18-year-old student, but then turned around and admitted to police that he rented a hotel room a “handful” of times to have sex with him. Bacon (far right) also denied 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 resource officer and school administration notified local police about her sexual acts and alcohol purchases, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, she told police that her relationship with the student began in July and that she previously had sexual relations with the student in May. Bacon added that she rented a hotel room several times to have sex with him 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, according to the complaint.
Hotel records have also confirmed those dates.
A witness also told authorities that she learned that Bacon had a sexual relationship with the victim in early May, when the teenager was still one of his 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 him again in February because they were concerned Bacon was still teaching, according to the complaint.
When confronted about the allegations, Bacon initially denied the inappropriate relationship with the school district, according to the complaint.
Another witness, the victim’s ex-girlfriend, told police that the student asked for a breakup in their relationship in May and that she knew nothing about Bacon’s relationship with the teen at the time, according to the complaint.
The ex-girlfriend, also identified as Witness B, told police that the victim had started dating Bacon secretly and that the teacher bought them alcohol, according to the complaint.
Witness B said she and the victim rekindled their relationship in August and that she discovered sexual messages and nude photographs between him and Bacon on the teen’s phone.
Phone footage showed Bacon drinking alcohol at the hotel with the victim and his friends, according to court documents.
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 revealed.
Bacon eventually confessed that he had sexual relations with the victim, according to the complaint.
Bacon soon resigned from his 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 resource officer and school administration notified local police about her sexual acts and alcohol purchases.
Images found by police on Bacon’s phone (far left) showed her drinking alcohol at the hotel with the victim and her friends. Authorities also found sexual messages and nude photos on the teen’s phone between him and the teacher.
During his confession, Bacon told police that the victim was one of his students when the sexual encounters began and that they called it off in July.
The documents revealed that Bacon said she began seeing the student again in November and that they are not currently in a relationship.
He also denied purchasing alcohol for the teens, but acknowledged a $40 Venmo payment labeled ‘liqq’ in June, according to the documents.
Bacon said he didn’t remember what the payment was for or who sent it to him.
Bethany DeCent, the high school’s principal, sent a statement to staff and students Tuesday following Bacon’s investigation.
‘I am writing to inform you of the recent resignation of a tartan teacher, Ann Bacon. Local authorities have informed us that Ann Bacon is being investigated for alleged misconduct.’
‘Rest assured that the trust and safety of our students remains our top priority. “We are cooperating fully with authorities’ investigation and will continue to do so throughout the process.”
‘We understand that this news affects our school community. “Counselors and school administrators are available to any student who needs support,” DeCant said in the message.
Bacon attended his first court appearance Tuesday morning and is expected to return for a pretrial hearing on March 20.