A High School Band, Trust Shattered: Eagan Band Director Accused of Grooming and Sexual Assault
Most stories about band class are about squeaky clarinets, not predatory teachers. Welcome to 2025, where Hannah LoPresto had to relive trauma because Eagan High’s systems failed her. And boy, did they ever fail.
Grooming 101: When “Special Attention” Is a Red Flag, Not a Compliment
Hannah was your standard overachiever, anxious about grades and looking for community in Eagan High’s band program. Enter Brett Benson, the band director who, by all accounts, matched the charisma of a cult leader with the boundaries of a subway creeper. He singled Hannah out, showered her with attention, made her feel “special”—that classic predator starter pack. As documented in a thorough police report, the grooming escalated from shoulder touches to direct, insidious sexual contact, all before she even graduated.
This Isn’t a Law & Order Episode: It’s What Passes for Accountability in Education
Benson isolated Hannah from peers and adults, invaded her personal space, told her she was “wise beyond her years,” and even dragged God into his manipulative playbook—because apparently religion is the final ingredient for gaslighting. By the time she was 18, he was orchestrating meetups and making her believe she owed him marriage. On Hannah’s last day of high school, while most kids are thinking about freedom, she was sexually assaulted by the very person tasked with her safety.
School Response & the Black Hole of Justice
After coming forward nearly a decade later, the results were painfully predictable: Pageantry of internal investigations, administrative leave, and—wait for it—a resignation, but no charges. Not because nothing happened, but because, in a Kafkaesque twist, the Minnesota Dept. of Education can’t look at cases older than three years. So, if you survive trauma, the state would prefer you do it quickly and quietly, okay?
Survivor’s Voice: The Only Real Courage in the Room
Hannah opened up to investigators, journalists, and the public, demonstrating more bravery than any bureaucrat or school official. The official response? Benson proclaims his innocence, blaming “mischaracterizations.” Of course he does.
If You Feel Angry, You’re Finally Paying Attention
- This is not an isolated case—teachers abusing their power is a national epidemic.
- Our system is built to protect its own, not kids.
What Now? Resources and Radical Empathy
If you or someone you know is experiencing anything remotely similar, do not wait and do not let shame silence you. Find support:
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
- Zero Abuse Project
- Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault
- CBS Minnesota’s original investigation
- Sexual Violence Center
- Hope Center
- Aurora Center (U of MN)
- Canvas Health
- Alexandra House
- 360 Communities
Stay loud. Stay mad. Hold the powerful accountable. If schools can’t protect our kids, we sure as hell have to.