Former school janitor will serve 10 years for sexually abusing children

A former St. Paul Public Schools janitor will serve 10 years in prison, after agreeing to plead guilty to sexually abusing children.

Walter Happel, 63, worked as a janitor at Linwood Monroe Arts Plus Elementary School until last year, when he was arrested for peeping at boys in the school's bathroom.

Happel's son also came forward and told police his father had abused him when he was growing up in the 1980s, along with other children in the family and their friends. Happel admitted to those crimes as part of a plea deal. He also pleaded guilty to interfering with the privacy of students at the school.

Happel had worked for the district since 1984. The peeping incident was not the first time he'd been accused of misconduct.

In 1991, a niece reported he had sexually assaulted her. St. Paul Police investigated, but the family was uncooperative. The Ramsey County Attorney's office did not file charges against him.

In 2003, Happel received a letter of reprimand from the district for giving out candy to children at Roosevelt Elementary School after being told not to. He was also sanctioned for giving one student a digital camera. The letter called that action "inappropriate."

Investigators also discovered that in 2012, school officials had investigated allegations that Happel had slapped a student's backside and made a crude sexual comment. The incident wasn't reported to authorities.

St. Paul Public Schools says it has taken additional steps to ensure staff understand their responsibilities to report allegations of abuse to police. The district is also considering recurring background checks for all employees.

In December a judge dismissed charges against two former school administrators, who were accused of failing to report a previous incident involving Happel.