Stearns County Priest Charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct

(Learfield News/St. Cloud, MN) — Stearns County prosecutors say a Catholic priest sexually assaulted a woman for years in the St. Cloud diocese.

Aaron Kuhn has been charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Authorities say the victim told police that she and the suspect had sex from September 2019 through October 2022 while the priest was serving as her spiritual advisor.

Kuhn was placed on administrative leave in June after the allegations of sexual misconduct.

Since then, the priest resigned as the pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community and joined the diocese’s Tribunal and Office of Canonical Affairs in St. Cloud.

The defendant was charged by summons and is awaiting the scheduling of his first court appearance.