University coach charged in child porn case
The head football coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato was arraigned Wednesday on charges of using underage people in a sexual performance and possession of child pornography.
The criminal complaint alleges that Todd Hoffner, 46, took pornographic videos on a university-issued phone of three children under the age of 10. According to the complaint, the videos show the children dancing and exposing their genitals.
Speaking to Blue Earth County Judge George Harrelson in court Wednesday, Hoffner's attorney, James Fleming, said the videos Hoffner took were "private family moments that were videotaped."
After the arraignment, Fleming spoke briefly to reporters and said there's nothing pornographic about the videos.
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"There's nothing in there that's graphic or sexually exploitive or anything along those lines," Fleming said.
Investigators said in the complaint that they identified the alleged victims as Hoffner's children because the children referred to an adult in the video as "dad."
The videos were discovered when Hoffner took his malfunctioning phone to the university's IT department for service. MSU officials provided Mankato police with a CD holding three video files. The Mankato Police Department turned the investigation over to the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office. Hoffner lives in Eagle Lake, outside Mankato city limits.
Hoffner's bail is set at $10,000 with conditions or $40,000 without conditions.
Minnesota State University, Mankato spokesperson Dan Benson said Tuesday that Hoffner has been on leave from his position since Friday. The university is conducting its own investigation.
Hoffner has served as head coach of the university's football team for four years. He is married and has three children, according to his biography on the school's website.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
