A MAN in his 20s slipped into a high school using fake documents and even joined the football team, despite already having a conviction for sending explicit images to a teenage girl.
The disturbing discovery has sparked outrage from parents, students and lawmakers demanding accountability.
A 22-year-old man allegedly posed as a teenager to enroll and play football at a Minnesota high school[/caption]
The man has prior conviction for sending nude photos to a minor[/caption]
The man, 22, allegedly enrolled at White Bear Lake Area High School in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, by using a false identity.
Principal Russel Reetz confirmed in a letter to families that the individual used fraudulent documents to gain entry.
“The individual in question is currently in police custody and is not allowed on any district property,” Reetz told parents.
He also defended the school’s vetting system, saying staff followed the enrolment process “as rigorous as state law allows.”
White Bear Lake police said they were alerted Monday evening, but by then the man had already been arrested by another law enforcement agency on unrelated charges, CBS News reported.
He was booked into Anoka County Jail before being transferred to Washington County Jail, according to officials.
The Washington County jail confirmed Thursday that he was being released.
Court records show his arrest stemmed from probation violations linked to a 2023 conviction for sending a nude photo of himself to a 15-year-old girl.
CBS local affiliate WCCO reported that he had previously been a student at Forrest Lake High School, where he also played football in the 2022 season.
A Forrest Lake district spokesperson confirmed his past enrollment there until 2023.
One neighbor near White Bear Lake High said the man had been living at his home with family members.
He claimed he assumed the 22-year-old was going to work each day, not posing as a student.
Parents at the school are furious the man managed to slip through the cracks.
“I’m scared that they’re not keeping our kids safe,” said mom April Jorgenson, who has three children at the school.
“You need to have a record and you need to have a physical to do these activities. We just can’t figure out how this happened.”
Students also blasted the district for failing to catch him.
“The superintendent should step down,” one teen said.
“The people who oversaw this and let it slip past need to face the consequences.”
Under state law, students can attend public school until age 21 if enrolled before turning 21.
Schools are only required to “request documentation” such as a birth certificate, passport, or affidavit from a parent, leaving loopholes for fraud.
Republican state Representative Elliott ENgen, who represents the district and graduated from White Bear Lake High, is now demanding tougher laws.
He also called on the superintendent to resign, saying leadership failed parents.
White Bear Lake police said they are investigating possible charges involving fraud, forgery and unlawful conduct with minors.
Students at the high school said the man interacted with girls, added them on Snapchat, and made many uncomfortable.
“When I found out, I was really shocked,” said junior Kasandra Kammueller.
“You’ve been with all these girls, talking to them, having them on Snapchat, and you’re 22 in a high school. That’s just so disgusting to me.”
