Woman sexually assaulted for years by Catholic priest in Minnesota, prosecutors say

A woman was sexually assaulted for years by a Catholic priest in the St. Cloud Diocese while he served as her “spiritual advisor,” according to prosecutors.

Aaron John Kuhn, 47, of Wadena, Minn., was charged Tuesday in Stearns County District Court with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the allegations that spanned nearly three years.

Kuhn was charged by summons and awaits scheduling of his first court appearance. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

The Minnesota Star Tribune has reached out to Kuhn for a response to the allegations.

Kuhn, who was a pastor for parishes known collectively as Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community, was placed on administrative leave by the diocese in June 2024 after what Bishop Patrick Neary told parishioners in a letter was “an allegation of sexual misconduct involving an adult.”

Neary advised parishoners in December 2024 that Kuhn resigned as the community’s pastor and joined the diocese’s Tribunal and Office of Canonical Affairs in St. Cloud.

The diocese, in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, said Neary placed Kuhn “on full administrative leave, effective immediately” after learning of the charge being filed.

According to the complaint:

A tip to police on Aug. 1, 2024, led to an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by Kuhn, who joined the priesthood in 2007.

A woman told police that she and Kuhn “engaged in multiple acts of sexual contact and sexual penetration” from September 2019 through October 2022, the complaint read. The encounters occurred in various locations in Wadena and Stearns and Benton counties.

“At the time,” the complaint continued, Kuhn “was providing [the woman] with spiritual direction.”

The woman said Kuhn used “his role as a spiritual advisor to manipulate and pressure her into engaging in sex acts,” the complaint noted.