Minneapolis Public Schools worker charged with promoting online prostitution

Investigators have charged a 47-year-old Minneapolis Public Schools employee with promoting prostitution using online ads, according to CBS Minnesota.

“The criminal complaint accuses (Todd James) Wallace, an employee at Anderson United Middle School, of posting ads on a website between February and late last month that advertised sex workers operating out of a residence near Stevens Square Park in south Minneapolis,” the news outlet explains.

During the investigation, an undercover agent received the Steven’s Square address every time after responding to three of the ads.

“In each instance, the agent cancelled the encounter, and was soon threatened with blackmail via text message if they didn’t pay a $50 cancellation fee,” CBS reported. “One of the cash app account handles the agent received was “todd-wallace-88,” according to court documents.”

The investigation involved the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigator’s Task Force, journalists noted.

“Agents eventually served a search warrant at the Steven’s Square residence and spoke with a sex worker who identified Wallace as the source of the ads and overall coordination. The sex worker said Wallace took ‘50% of the client fees,’ court documents state.”

‘Appropriate action will be taken’

Wallace was arrested last week at the middle school.

“‘School officials did not immediately assist agents with locating [him],’ and ‘school officials notified [him] of the presence of human trafficking investigators prior to escorting agents to the gymnasium’ to arrest him,” CBS observed from statements in court documents.

The district provided a statement to journalists citing Minnesota Statutes Section 122A.41, which notes teachers “must not be discharged or demoted except for cause after a hearing.”

“The spokesperson also said the district ‘is following all applicable processes and procedures in this case, and appropriate action will be taken,’” CBS wrote.

“If convicted, Wallace could face up to 30 years in prison.”

Other districts have faced fallout after their employees were found to be involved in prostitution-related activities.

In Texas, the Klein Independent School District (ISD) released a statement after one of its former cosmetology teachers, Kedria Grigsby, was arrested in 2024 in connection to a prostitution ring.

“Klein ISD is disgusted by recent events that have impacted the trust the public has in us,” the district wrote. “We are addressing these issues head-on and welcome ongoing dialogue with our parents and community members as we work to regain any trust that has been lost.”

As many as eight girls from Klein Cain High School had been recruited by Grigsby, according to the search warrant.

Grigsby was later charged with three counts of trafficking a child and three counts of compelling prostitution of minors.