Crown fires coach after alleged sexual conduct with teen

Published January 9, 2014 at 5:09 pm

The head women’s basketball coach at Crown College has been fired after his arrest for an alleged physical relationship with a 15-year-old Shorewood girl.

Ryan Paul Chmielewski, 30, of St. Bonifacius, is charged with one court of third-degree criminal sexual conduct (a felony) and is being held in the Hennepin County Jail on $100,000 bail. He will make his first court appearance Friday afternoon.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the father of the teen alerted South Lake Minnetonka Police that his daughter was engaged in an active sexual relationship with a 30-year-old man on Dec. 22. South Lake Minnetonka Police then organized a sting operation, posing as the girl, and invited Chmielewski to her home on Jan. 6. He agreed and was arrested upon arrival.

In interviews with police, Chmielewski acknowledge first meeting the teen on the internet dating site OKCupid.com and to three in-person meetings with the girl at her residence first the week of Dec. 10, then again on Dec. 18 and 20. He also acknowledged having sexual contact with the teen through kissing, fondling, and molesting.

Subsequent searches were executed of Chmielewski’s residence in a St. Bonifacius apartment and at Crown College, where he was employed as the head cross country and women’s basketball coach.

In a press release from the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department, Police Chief Bryan Litsey said there does not appear to be a connection between Chmielewski’s actions with the teen and his coaching resposibilities at the college. Crown said in a statement it is not aware of any allegations of misconduct occuring on school grounds or with people affiliated with the institution.

After learning of his arrest and the allegations against him, Crown College terminated Chmielewski’s employment with the school Thursday afternoon, according to a statement made on the school’s website.

“Given Crown’s focus on providing a Christ-centered education, we have a lifestyle policy for those on our campus, including students and employees,” the statement said. “Therefore, once charges were issued against Ryan, Crown terminated his employement as head women’s basketball coach and cross-country coach.”