Charges: Burnsville teacher sent nude photos to one student, had sex with another

Booking photo for Erik Akervik
Booking photo for Erik Akervik, a Burnsville High School music teacher charged with two felony counts for sexual conduct with students.
Courtesy of the Dakota County Sheriff's Office

A Burnsville High School music teacher was charged Wednesday with two felony counts for sexual conduct with students.

Erik Akervik, 29, allegedly sent nude photos of himself to a 15-year-old student and had sex with a 16-year-old student, according to the complaint. Akervik has been charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct and electronic solicitation of a child.

"It is a felony under Minnesota law for a teacher to have sexual relations with a student who is 16 or 17-years-old, if the teacher is more than 48 months older than the student. Criminal activity of this nature is a significant breach of trust of students, their parents, and the school community," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said in a statement.

Akervik has been employed with the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district since 2013. The district says it received a complaint against Akervik on April 8 and immediately started an investigation and contacted law enforcement.

"We find the reported allegations to be very upsetting. We are committed to fully working with the Burnsville Police Department in their investigation and take appropriate action to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for our students," district spokesperson Ruth Dunn said in a statement.

Akervik is being held in Dakota County Jail. His next court appearance is set for May 11.

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