A Minnesota teacher who was named “Teacher of the Year,” presumably for 2016, has been found guilty by a Hennepin County judge and sentenced to 14 years in prison after admitting to repeatedly grooming and sexually abusing an eighth-grade student. The abuse reportedly lasted nearly a year.

The case gained significant attention following testimony from the student during court proceedings regarding their experiences. Evidence presented included detailed accounts of inappropriate behavior occurring even within classroom settings, along with gifts and hundreds of phone calls between Wright and the victim. According to records, Wright began his alleged actions against the young girl shortly after being honored as “Teacher of the Year.”

The severity of the sentence stems from Judge Sarah West finding him guilty during a May trial where he initially claimed innocence but later confessed in an incriminating call recorded by authorities. The judge noted that the recording helped prove his prior lies under oath. Wright received 172 months, the maximum guideline range for convictions involving such misconduct.

The sentencing also includes mandatory registration as a predatory offender and supervised release after spending two-thirds of his sentence in prison.
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