Minneapolis – A former “Teacher of the Year,” Abdul Wright from Hennepin County, was found guilty Monday of sexually abusing an 8th-grade student. The conviction comes after a trial where evidence included multiple gifts and meetings between Wright and the minor.
Wright is named in connection with repeated grooming and first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving the girl. During testimony, she described his approach as “manipulative” while her father noted evidence of abuse was “hiding in plain sight,” citing hundreds of calls they received from him regarding their daughter. Additionally, court records indicate Wright was awarded the Minnesota Teacher of the Year title in 2016.
According to reports, the judge’s decision follows an investigation by Fox9 and includes testimony that confirmed sexual contact occurred for nearly a year across various settings including school rooms. Evidence included gifts such as an infinity bracelet from Wright to his student as well as phone records showing extensive communication with her family years before the alleged abuse began in 2017.
In addition, Judge Sarah West determined that Wright was lying during his testimony about innocence and added he provided false statements under oath while being found guilty of lying. He received a maximum sentence of two-thirds confinement plus supervised release from prison due to convictions including sexual conduct with a minor and perjury.
