A former teacher and athletic director at a private Christian school in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota, has been charged with 13 felony counts of criminal sexual conduct and possession of child sexual abuse material.  

Derrick Lee Pfeffer, 42, of Baldwin, Wisconsin, was charged in Washington County District Court following an investigation by the Cottage Grove Police Department, Limitless Media News reported.

Pfeffer was arrested Sept. 24 in Rosemount, Minnesota, on a bench warrant, according to booking records. He made a first appearance via Zoom on Sept. 25 before Judge Laura A. Pietan of the Tenth Judicial District, according to court records.

The criminal complaint says that the charges stem from alleged incidents between early 2024 and September 2026 at various locations, including Hope Christian Academy in St. Paul Park. Two victims who contacted police had been students at the school 12 miles south of the Minnesota Capitol.

The most serious charge, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, accuses Pfeffer of sexual penetration of a victim 14 to 15 years old between Sept. 3, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $40,000 fine.

Pfeffer faces two additional charges of criminal sexual conduct that involve being more than 36 months older than the victim and holding a position of authority over a minor. The complaint says he and a victim exchanged sexually explicit photos via Instagram, photos that investigators later recovered from his cell phone.

A second-degree count covers alleged contact between March 1, 2024, and April 28, 2025, and carries up to 25 years in prison. A fourth-degree count covers alleged contact between April 29, 2025, and May 27, 2025.

Pfeffer is also charged with soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct for alleged actions between Jan. 1, 2024, and May 27, 2025.

The nine counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, retrieved from Pfeffer’s cellphone, each carry a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Hope Christian Academy principal Shawna Terrell told Roys Report (RR) via email Friday that the school had “no comment at this time” on Pfeffer’s arrest.

Mark A. Kellner is a reporter based in Mesquite, Nevada. He most recently covered statewide elections for the New York Post and was for three years the Faith & Family Reporter for The Washington Times. Mark is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands and also attended Boston University’s College of Communication.