Ham Lake gymnastics coach charged with criminal sexual conduct in 2017 incident

HAM LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 28-year-old Isanti man who was a gymnastics coach in Ham Lake is accused of having sexual contact with a 13-year-old boy multiple times in an investigation dating back to 2017, according to charges filed in Anoka County Court.

Kyle Anthony Pekula was charged Friday with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the case.

What happened

The backstory:

The charges state a man went to law enforcement in September 2024 to disclose a sexual assault that occurred in 2017, when he was 13-years-old. He said he met Pekula at his gym, Jam Hops Gymnastics Studio in Ham Lake.

The complaint states the victim told authorities he was questioning his sexual orientation, and said the same to Pekula, who asked him if he ever had any sexual experiences with another man. Pekula told the boy he could text him if he ever wanted to. The victim told authorities about five different instances where they had sexual contact. 

The complaint states the first four incidents happened near the victim’s home in Andover. The last happened at the gymnastics facility.

Pekula’s 2024 arrest

What we know:

Pekula was arrested last September after exposing himself to a boy at a Blaine park. He was accused of approaching a boy and his siblings at a picnic table, and after talking to them, he exposed himself to the group.