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St. Paul high school coach charged with sexual contact with 15-year-old student

mara h. gottfried, pioneer press
·1 min read
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Prosecutors charged a St. Paul high school volleyball coach Friday with sexual contact with a 15-year-old student.

Officers were called to Como Park Senior High School Thursday on a report of criminal sexual conduct and met with a teen who said Keng Cha, 29, “engaged her in sex on four occasions” from last fall to this month, according to a criminal complaint.

She said that Cha had started texting her last year and, after about a month, asked her for sexual favors and nude videos. They had sex in the backseat of Cha’s vehicle and the last time was in the back parking lot of the high school on Rose Avenue, the complaint said.

As officers were talking to the teen in the school office area, Cha sent texts to her, including one that asked, “Did you say anything to anyone about us?” the complaint said.

Officers learned Cha was at the school with the athletic director, who was terminating his employment with the school district. Police took Cha into custody. He told police he’d been “in a personal relationship” with the student that “progressed to sexual contact,” the complaint said.

Cha, of St. Paul, is being held in the Ramsey County jail. The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged him with first-degree criminal sexual conduct by a school employee and third-degree criminal sexual conduct by a person in a position of authority.

Cha is due to make his first court appearance on Monday and an attorney wasn’t listed for him in the court file as of Friday.

A St. Paul Public Schools spokesperson said the district does not comment on criminal matters.

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