Cloquet hockey Coach fired after allegedly soliciting sex from 16-year-old boy

SLEEPY EYE, Minn. (KEYC) – An Assistant Coach for the Minnesota Wilderness hockey team was fired after allegedly soliciting a 16-year-old boy for sex.

A video posted to YouTube by the Midwest Predator Catchers on Sunday appears to show 31-year-old Brendan Phelps arriving at Allison Park in Sleepy Eye, four hours away from his home in Cloquet.

The Midwest Predator Catchers say they are an organization that aims to keep our communities safe from online predators.

The footage, which quickly circulated on social media, depicts Phelps interacting with a group member.

The group says it posed as the teenager on an app called Grindr.

Its where they say Phelps messaged them and agreed to meet up with, who he thought was, the 16-year-old.

Authorities are investigating the incident, saying in a statement sent to KEYC, The Sleepy Eye Police Department is aware of videos circulating on social media. We are conducting an active investigation. As such, information is not available to the public at this time.

While SEPD is investigating, Phelps has been let go from his coaching position and is banned from USA Hockey events, including all activities with the North American Hockey League.

Minnesota Wilderness spokesperson David Boitz told KEYC in a statement, Based on the information currently available to the Wilderness, the conduct in question does not appear to have involved any NAHL player personnel or activities… It continues to say, The team encourages any player , players family member, or Billet family member who has concerns about Mr. Phelps behavior to contact team representatives.

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