Prior Lake Man Accused Of Secretly Recording 13-Year-Old At Brooklyn Park School

BROOKLYN PARK, MN — A Prior Lake man who worked at Maranatha Christian Academy in Brooklyn Park is accused of secretly recording a 13-year-old girl while she changed clothes, according to police and court records.

Jason Gary Polzin, 49, was charged in Hennepin County last week with felony interference with the privacy of a minor. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Polzin is being held in jail on $75,000 bail and is barred from contacting the girl.

According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened on April 17, 2024. Police said Maranatha Christian Academy staff reported the incident on May 23, 2024, after friends of the girl came forward.

The girl told investigators that Polzin, a staff member who helped with the softball team, let her use his classroom to change clothes before practice.

While she was changing, she noticed Polzin’s phone in the room. She picked it up and saw it was recording.

The video, she told investigators, showed Polzin looking at the door before setting the phone down and aiming it toward the area where she would be changing, according to the complaint.

The girl said she deleted the video and confronted Polzin, who claimed it was an accident. She later told a friend and reported the incident to school staff.

She also told investigators that Polzin gave her rides and once invited her onto his boat, leaving her feeling "confused and angry" after finding his phone recording her, the complaint states.

Detectives executed a search warrant at Polzin’s home in Prior Lake. According to the complaint, investigators seized electronic devices and discovered files of child sexual abuse material.

They also found 52 photos of the girl, many of which were taken in Polzin’s school office, authorities said.

Police further reported locating 165 digitally altered images with the girl’s face superimposed on female bodies, including some nude or in lingerie.

Polzin was arrested on Aug. 12 and booked into the Hennepin County Jail. The Brooklyn Park Police Department said the investigation is ongoing and that they are working with Maranatha Christian Academy to identify and support any potential victims