Former Speech Coach Sentenced for Trying to Record Teen Girls
ST. CLOUD -- A former assistant speech coach in Melrose has been sentenced for trying to record two teenage girls changing clothes in his classroom.
Twenty-nine-year-old Lucas Blonigen of Melrose earlier pleaded guilty to two felony counts of interfering with privacy against a minor under 18-years-old. A Stearns County judge has sentenced Blonigen to 30 days in jail or 45 days of home monitoring and will be on probation for four years.
Melrose police received a call from a school principal on April 6th regarding an incident at the Melrose Middle School.
Court records show the two girls, ages 15 and 16, were given permission to use Blonigen's classroom to change clothes before a speech event. The girls noticed a cell phone propped up against the wall and set to record facing the location where they were about to change. They turned off the camera and notified a teacher.
According to the charging complaint, Blonigen admitted in a recorded statement that he tried to record the girls as they changed.
Blonigen is no longer working in the Melrose School District. As part of his probation, he isn't allowed any contact with the victims or minors under 18-years-old.