Editor’s note: This story was originally published by KAXE. Due to a conflict of interest, Iron Range Today will not be directly reporting on this case.
EMBARRASS — A former teacher at two Iron Range schools was charged with three felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct Monday, Aug. 18, for allegedly sexually assaulting an adolescent female relative.
Ryan Ross Denzer-Johnson, 43, of Embarrass was arrested Thursday on probable cause. He has been a math teacher at Mesabi East in Aurora since 2023 and taught at Northeast Range in Babbitt before that. He was involved with both schools’ robotics teams.
Mesabi East could not be reached Monday to confirm Denzer-Johnson’s employment status.
The teenage victim — identified as Juvenile Female A in documents — told law enforcement on Aug. 12 that Denzer-Johnson began sexually assaulting her over a 16-month period in 2023, according to the statement of probable cause filed Monday. He would allegedly touch and penetrate her with his fingers.
Denzer-Johnson told law enforcement that over time, he began touching her “higher and higher on her body, sometimes over her clothes and sometimes under her clothes,” the filing states. He allegedly that he could recall at least three times he penetrated her with his finger but stated, “I can’t tell you that it never happened other times.”
Denzer-Johnson allegedly told his wife about the assaults on Aug. 9, telling her he started two years ago and ended one year ago.
Judge Bhupesh R. Pattni set Denzer-Johnson’s bail at $300,000 without conditions or $100,000 with conditions on Monday, at the request of assistant St. Louis County attorney Amber Pederson.
In her bail recommendation, Pederson wrote that Denzer-Johnson “is a danger to Juvenile Female A and the public,” that he was aware for some time that he “was prone to sexually assault minor females” and still taught and worked in youth ministry and on a church advisory board.
Denzer-Johnson also allegedly admitted “that he ‘can’t guarantee that there wasn’t like some grooming … there probable [sic] was.’” Pederson wrote that Denzer-Johnson told law enforcement he watched the victim change using cameras and removed trim on a bathroom door to watch other related juvenile girls naked.
“Defendant took advantage of Juvenile Female A … when Juvenile Female A depended on him the most,” Pederson wrote.
“Despite being aware for some time that he was prone to sexually assault minor females, Defendant put himself in positions with access to minor females.”
Judge Pattni also granted a domestic abuse no contact order.
Denzer-Johnson will make his next appearance Aug. 25, before Judge Andrew R. Peterson. He was still in the St. Louis County Jail as of 2 p.m. Monday.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 30 years, a $40,000 fine or both.
UPDATE: Some details and identifying information were removed from the original version of this story as of 9:45 a.m. Aug. 19, 2025.
To get help
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
First Witness Child Advocacy Center: 218-727-8353, firstwitness.org/contact-us
National Sexual Assault Hotline:24/7 hotline: 800-656-4673
Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse (CASDA):serves Duluth, Superior and Ashland, Bayfield and Douglas counties; 24/7 hotline 800-649-2921; submit a help request at casda.org/get-help
Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA):serves southern St. Louis County; 24/7 hotline 218-726-1931
Sexual Assault Program of Northern St. Louis County:serves northern St. Louis County; 218-749-4725; leave a message and an advocate will be contacted 24/7
Family Pathways:serves Carlton and Pine counties; 24/7 hotline 800-338-7233
Support Within Reach:serves Aitkin and Itasca counties; hotline 866-747-5008
North Shore Horizons:serves Lake County; 24/7 hotline 218-834-5924
Violence Prevention Center:serves Cook County; 24/7 hotline 218-387-1237
Friends Against Abuse:serves Koochiching County; 24/7 hotline 888-344-3264
Fond du Lac Reservation:24/7 hotline 218-348-1817
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa:Grand Portage Human Services 218-475-2453
Bois Forte Tribal Government–Victim Services Program:emergency cell 218-248-0067
