Former Hayfield principal pleads guilty in decades old sex assault case

Former Hayfield High School Principal Grant Thomas Klenneret, 38, pleaded guilty last week in Wabasha County District Court to two charges of first-degree criminal sexual assault and one second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. In a plea deal, one charge of first-degree criminal sexual assault and one second-degree charge of criminal sexual conduct were dismissed.
All of the incidents occurred in Wabasha County when both Klennert and the victims were juveniles.
Charges were brought against Klennert in December 2022. In October of 2022 the incidents were first reported to law enforcement officials by a man who accused Klennert of assaulting him over the course of several years. A second victim reported Klennert sexually assaulted her when she was about 13 years old. He was also accused of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old-juvenile male.
According to the criminal complaint filed in 2022, the assaults occurred between 1997 and the fall of 2003.
Prior to his arrest on the charges, Klennert had been employed by the Hayfield School District for 16 years and for the last seven years was principal at Hayfield High School.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 20 in Wabasha District Court.