A former Hermantown Middle School science teacher and junior high volleyball coach is accused of sexually assaulting a student she used to teach.
Madeleine Schmaltz, 29, of Saginaw, Minnesota is charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct as a “current or recent position of authority over the victim,” which is a felony.
According to the criminal complaint filed in St. Louis County Court Wednesday, Schmaltz began having a sexual relationship with the 16-year-old high school student in her home in 2019 while tutoring and mentoring the victim who was a student of Schmaltz two years prior.
The complaint says a mandated reporter contacted Hermantown police June 4 of 2019 about the relationship.
Police interviewed the victim and Schmaltz days later. The complaint says both confirmed they had engaged in sexual acts at least twice within the past few weeks. Schmaltz “admitted to sexual touching of the victim, and the victim’s intimate parts and to having the victim touch her on her intimate parts,” according to court records.
The victim’s mother told police she recently overheard a phone conversation between her teenager and Schmaltz that was “sexual in nature.” The victim’s parents also told police Schmaltz gave their child several gifts.
Schmaltz resigned from the Hermantown School District shortly after the allegations came to light, as noted in school board minutes from June 10. She was featured in a Duluth News Tribune article just months earlier about female teachers helping to bridge the gender gap in the STEM field.
If convicted, Schmaltz faces up to 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.
The next court date is Sept. 8.
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