Former MN High School Basketball Coach Admits to Sex Abuse Charge

Albert Lea, MN (KROC-AM News) - A former girl’s head basketball coach for Albert Lea High School has admitted to a felony charge involving a sexual relationship with a student.

Court records state that police in Albert Lea launched an investigation in January 2022 after officers were made aware of a situation involving a 16-year-old girl and 35-year-old Richard John Polley, who was employed as a school counselor and basketball coach at Albert Lea High School. The charges indicate that it was reported to police that Polley was having sexual relations with the juvenile student.

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According to the criminal complaint, Polley assisted the girl with regular situations associated with his job as a counselor, but then became friends with the girl on Snapchat. The victim told investigators that their online conversations began to get "deeper" and included discussions about no one finding out that they were Snapchat friends.

The charges alleged that the teenage girl, in early January 2022, accepted Polley's invitation to visit his home, where they engaged in sex.

Polley was originally charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, but through a plea agreement with Freeborn County prosecutors, the criminal complaint was amended to downgrade the charge to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Polley entered a guilty plea to the amended complaint on Thursday.

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He is scheduled to be sentenced in January. According to his plea deal, he is expected to be given a stayed prison sentence, no additional jail time, and five years on probation.

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