Hayfield High School principal out on bond after arrest for sex assault charges

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The principal of Hayfield High School is now out of jail after being charged with several county of criminal sexual conduct stemming from incidents when he was a minor, according to court documents.

Grant Thomas Klennert, 37, was able to post bail Wednesday. His bond was set at $100,000 with conditions.

Those conditions are:

Do not leave Minnesota without written court approval
Keep court/attorney informed of current address
No contact with victim(s)
Remain law-abiding
Make all future court appearances
No contact with persons under age 18
Sign Waiver of Extradition
Domestic No Contact (DANCO)
Surrender Passport

Online court records show his first court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m.

According to online records, Klennert was arrested and booked into the Wabasha County Jail Tuesday. Klennert has been the principal of Hayfield High School since 2015. He’s been with the district since 2006. District officials said he is currently on administrative leave. Superintendent Gregg Slaathuag is filling in as high school principal for the time being.

According to court documents, investigators got a tip of a past sexual assault on Oct. 19, 2022. Through their investigation, authorities discovered three victims. The first victim told investigators Klennert started sexually assaulting him when he was in the second grade and Klennert was in the seventh grade. The first victim told investigators the assaults happened frequently and increased to almost daily when there were not adults around. Investigators learned that the first victim was assaulted from 1997 to 2003, the same year Klennert went away to college.

Court documents also show the second victim told authorities they saw Klennert sexually assault the first victim. The second victim also claimed to be sexually assaulted by Klennert when they were “13 or 14″. She told officers that she repeatedly told Klennert no and tried to resist.

According to court documents, the third victim was sexually assaulted by Klennert in 2001 while the two were playing video games. The victim told authorities he was seven-years-old at the time.

The court documents show that investigators tried repeatedly to reach Klennert but they got no reply.

Klennert is facing three counts of criminal sexual conduct - 1st degree and one criminal sexual conduct - 2nd degree. A conviction of criminal sexual conduct in the 1st degree carriers a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine. A conviction of a 2nd degree charge carries a max of 25 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine.

HOPE Coalition offers a 24-hour Sexual Assault hotline for Wabasha County. You can call 1-800-369-5214. Victim Services of Olmsted, Dodge, and Fillmore County offers a 24-hour crisis hotline for victims of sexual assault. You can call 507-289-0636 and be connected with a professional who can provide resources to those in need.