A onetime Twin Cities middle school paraprofessional has been charged in a years-long scheme to manipulate minors into sending sexually explicit content and then extorting them through social media and his online gaming forum.
Glen Robert Anderson, 24, of Coon Rapids, was charged in federal court in Minneapolis last week with two counts of production of child pornography, and one count each of enticement of a minor and interstate communications with intent to extort.
Anderson was charged by what's known as an information, which signals his intention to plead guilty. A first court appearance for Anderson has yet to be scheduled. Messages were left Wednesday with Anderson and his attorney seeking a response to the allegations.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is declining to disclose where Anderson worked as a special education paraprofessional during the timespan of his alleged crimes.
However, a spokesman for the Anoka-Hennepin School District said Wednesday that Anderson was employed as a substitute para educator from May 3, 2019, until March 10 of this year.
Spokesman Jim Skelly said in an e-mail that the district "became aware" on that date that Anderson "was being investigated by the FBI and took immediate action to remove his access as a substitute paraeducator."
On Anderson's last day with the district, public FBI records disclosed, the agency seized his computers, data storage equipment and a camera at locations in Coon Rapids, Anoka and Ramsey.
According to the charges:
