Special Ed Worker From Twin Cities Groomed Children Online: Feds

COON RAPIDS, MN — A Coon Rapids man has admitted to a sextortion scheme that targeted minors through social media and an online gaming forum, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced Tuesday.

Glen R. Anderson, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort.

Anderson was ordered to remain in jail until his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Oct. 25.

Anderson worked as a middle school paraprofessional in special education, according to authorities. He used several different internet applications and social media accounts for email, file sharing, and chatting with minors, including Snapchat and Grindr, investigators said.

Anderson also administered an online gaming forum, authorities said. To participate in the forum, users had to submit their age, and many of the users were minors, according to investigators.

From April 2016 through Aug. 20, 2021, Anderson used his position as the forum administrator to groom minors so they would produce child pornography, according to investigators.

Anderson coerced a 13-year-old to engage in sexually explicit acts for the purpose of producing images and videos, authorities said. Anderson later threatened to release those sexually explicit images if the child did not respond to his demands, according to investigators.