UPDATE: Hayfield Administrator posts bond with conditions
Published 3:16 pm Thursday, December 15, 2022
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The Hayfield Community Schools administrator accused of sexual assault when he was a teenager has made his first appearance in Wabasha County District Court Wednesday, just a day after an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest.
Grant Thomas Klennert, 37, faces three counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second degree sexual conduct. All four are felonies.
![](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2022/12/Grant_Klennert.jpg?w=449)
Grant Thomas Klennert/Hayfield Community Schools
However, according to court documents, a fifth charge — felony second degree sexual conduct significant relationship with a victim under 16 years — was added later in the day on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Klennert posted a $100,000 bond with conditions that includes no contact with people under 18 and a Domestic No Contact order.
Klennert is accused of sexually assaulting three victims when he was a teenager between the years of 1997 and 2003.
In the court complaint, the first victim told Wabasha County detectives that he was “repeatedly and forcefully assaulted” by Klennert starting as early as second grade.
According to the complaint, investigators twice tried reaching Klennert with no reply received, prompting Tuesday’s arrest warrant.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Hayfield Superintendent Gregg Slaathaug said the district was aware of the accusations and working with law enforcement.
“The Hayfield School District is aware of the pending criminal charges regarding Grant Klennert, an employee of the school district,” the statement read. “The school district takes the safety and security of our students very seriously and has been cooperating and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement in its investigation.”
The statement also said that Klennert is currently on administrative leave, but declined to say anymore.
“This is the extent of the information the school district can provide about this matter at this time,” Slaathaug said. “All further data is classified as private or confidential pursuant to state and/or federal law.”
Klennert’s next appearance is set for Dec. 21.