Key Takeaways

• Former Hope Christian Academy teacher and athletic director Derrick Lee Pfeffer faces 13 criminal counts following allegations involving two students.
• Reports allege abuse at school and conduct that continued after he left his position.
• Minnesota’s mandated reporting requirements apply to education professionals, including those working in private schools.
• Potential school liability depends on evidence; Minnesota civil filing rules vary by claim.

Derrick Lee Pfeffer, a former teacher and athletic director at Hope Christian Academy in St. Paul Park, Minnesota, faces criminal charges following allegations that he sexually abused two students. Reports identify Pfeffer as 42 and say he worked at the private Christian school from fall 2022 through December 2024.

The allegations raise urgent questions about student safety, adult access to children, and the safeguards schools use to enforce professional boundaries. Families deserve answers grounded in evidence. Students deserve a response that protects them from blame and makes it safe to ask for help.

Pfeffer is presumed innocent unless and until a court finds him guilty.

What Charges Does Derrick Pfeffer Face

According to The Roys Report, authorities charged Pfeffer in Washington County with 13 counts: one each of first-, second-, and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct; nine counts of possessing child sexual abuse material; and one count of soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct.

FOX 9 reports that officers arrested him on September 24, 2026. At his September 25 court appearance, the court set bail at $100,000 with conditions or $200,000 without conditions. The report identified November 4 as his next scheduled appearance. These are dated reporting details rather than a newly verified court docket.

What the Students Reported

Bring Me The News reports that one student and her mother contacted police on August 3, 2026. The student said she attended Hope Christian Academy while Pfeffer worked there and babysat for his family. She alleged that sexual comments began in January 2024 and escalated into sexual abuse, including conduct at school.

According to FOX 9, that student reported that the alleged abuse continued after Pfeffer left the school, ending in January 2026. Investigators reportedly recovered explicit images of her from his phone after obtaining a search warrant.

A second student contacted investigators on September 15, 2026. FOX 9 reports that she met Pfeffer at the school when she was 12 and alleged that he began sexually abusing her in August 2026, when she was 15.

These accounts describe alleged abuse involving an adult who first knew the children through a school community. A child’s familiarity with an educator or their family does not make sexual exploitation acceptable.

Adults Must Maintain the Boundaries

A teacher bears responsibility for maintaining professional boundaries with students. Friendship with a family, babysitting, rides, or invitations to a home do not remove that responsibility.

Schools should address these situations directly in staff training and policies. Families should know what rules govern private communication, transportation, and contact outside school. Staff should know how to raise concerns about a colleague without fearing retaliation.

Adults must never make children responsible for managing an educator’s sexual behavior. A child deserves protection whether they continued communicating with the adult, accepted invitations, or struggled to disclose what happened.

What Hope Christian Academy Families Deserve to Know

The Roys Report reported on September 25 that Hope Christian Academy’s principal declined to comment on Pfeffer’s arrest. That response does not establish what school officials knew before the criminal investigation.

Families can reasonably ask:

• What policies governed staff communication with students and contact outside school?
• Did anyone report concerns about Pfeffer’s conduct, and how did administrators respond?
• What circumstances led to his departure in December 2024?
• How is the school preserving relevant records and cooperating with investigators?
• Where can current and former students report concerns and obtain support?

These questions require investigation. The sources reviewed do not establish that administrators knew of the alleged abuse or that the school bears civil liability.

A school can give families clear reporting instructions and information about protective steps while preserving student privacy.

Reporting Suspected Abuse at a Private School

Minnesota law includes professionals working in education among mandated reporters. When the statutory reporting threshold is met, they must immediately report suspected child maltreatment to an appropriate public agency or law enforcement.

The law also prohibits schools and religious organizations from maintaining policies that prevent or discourage reports of suspected child maltreatment. A private or religious school’s internal process cannot override that requirement.

Washington County advises that telling a supervisor or coworker does not fulfill the individual reporting duty. Employees should know how to make an external report and comply with any required written follow-up.

The published allegations do not establish that a particular school employee violated a reporting duty. A review must determine who knew what, when they learned it, and what they did.

Civil Legal Options for Minnesota Sexual Abuse Survivors

A criminal case addresses alleged crimes. A civil lawsuit can seek compensation for harm and examine whether other parties contributed to it through legally actionable conduct.

Depending on the evidence, an attorney may evaluate claims against an alleged abuser and potential claims involving negligent supervision, retention, or other institutional failures. An arrest alone does not establish a claim against a school.

Minnesota’s Child Victims Act generally allows qualifying civil claims arising from sexual abuse of a minor to proceed without a time limit, including certain negligence claims. Important exceptions apply: the statute treats vicarious liability claims separately and contains an additional rule for claims against alleged abusers who were under 14. Families should obtain advice about the specific claims and deadlines that apply.

Survivors do not need to navigate those distinctions alone. A lawyer can assess the facts, explain possible claims, and identify records that need preservation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Derrick Lee Pfeffer

Pfeffer is a former teacher and athletic director at Hope Christian Academy in St. Paul Park, Minnesota, accused of sexually abusing two students.

Did the alleged abuse occur after he left the school

Reports allege that some conduct continued after his December 2024 departure. The reported timeline includes allegations involving a second student in August 2026.

Can Hope Christian Academy face a civil lawsuit

Potentially, if evidence supports a legally recognized claim. The school’s employment of Pfeffer alone does not establish liability. Relevant evidence may include prior reports, supervision practices, and administrators’ responses to concerns.

How should a parent respond to a disclosure

Listen calmly. Tell your child you are glad they told you and that the abuse is not their fault. Avoid demanding a detailed account or asking why they did not tell you sooner. Seek help with safety, reporting, and care.

Resources for Survivors and Families

If a child faces immediate danger, call 911.

• Washington County Child Protection: Call 651-430-6457 to report suspected child abuse or neglect. After 4:30 p.m. or on weekends, the county directs callers to Crisis Response at 651-275-7400. [5]
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or use online support at https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/.

Preserve relevant messages, account names, and information about contact with the adult. Ask investigators how to handle suspected child sexual abuse material without copying or forwarding it.

Speaking With a Sexual Abuse Lawyer About Your Rights

Families place tremendous trust in healthcare institutions to provide safe, compassionate care for loved ones who may be unable to care for or protect themselves.

When that trust is violated through sexual abuse, the emotional and psychological consequences can be devastating for survivors and their families. 

Andreozzi + Foote represents survivors of institutional sexual abuse in Minnesota and across the county.

If you or someone you love was harmed by Derrick Lee Pfeffer or another employee of a rehabilitation or care facility, you are not alone. 

Our compassionate attorneys are here to answer your questions and help you understand your rights.

You deserve to be heard. We are ready to listen. 

All consultations are free and completely confidential.

Contact us today.

(866) 802-5761

Photos courtesy of HopeChristainacademy.org and Pioneer Press