Former Minnesota deaf school teacher charged with sexually assaulting a student 40 years ago

A former Minnesota teacher and wrestling coach was charged in Rice County in connection with allegations that he sexually assaulted a student about 40 years ago, according to court records. David Rohm, 78, of Jackson, Tennessee, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct. The complaint said the allegations involved a student at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in Faribault between 1985 and 1988. The investigation began in July 2023 when the former student contacted the Faribault Police Department. Court records show the student reported he was younger than 16 when the assault happened. Court records show the student provided additional details during a 2025 interview and described the lasting impact the alleged assault had on his life and relationships. According to the complaint, the victim told investigators the assault happened in a tunnel on the academy’s campus after a wrestling workout, when he became separated from other students. Court records said Rohm sexually assaulted him and later warned him not to tell anyone what happened. Investigators traveled to Tennessee in August 2026 to interview Rohm. The complaint said Rohm confirmed he worked at the school from 1983 to 1987 as a teacher and assistant wrestling coach. Court records show Rohm denied any knowledge of the alleged assault, but after detectives shared the victim’s name, Rohm remembered the former student and recalled details about him. According to the criminal complaint, prosecutors requested an arrest warrant because Rohm lives outside Minnesota and is on federal supervised release. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, Rohm was convicted in federal court in 2014 after pleading guilty to receiving child pornography. Federal authorities said a judge sentenced him to 87 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.