MINNEAPOLIS — A former staff member of a facility for troubled youth was found responsible for maltreatment and neglect after he was accused of raping a 15-year-old resident earlier this year, according to a report released Tuesday by the state Department of Human Services.
The staff member, Jacob Jamhil Rolf, 24, of Bloomington, was also charged in Hennepin County in October with third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The teen told police and a DHS investigator that Rolf initially forced her to give him oral sex at the Minneapolis Children’s Residential Treatment Center in May while the two were alone in a classroom, according to the criminal charge. The DHS report said that when the teen tried to get away, the Rolf raped her.
The teen “was shaking and crying/hyperventilating and was unable to move from the staff person’s grip,” according to the report. The entire incident lasted about 45 minutes, the teen said. She later reported the incident to a staff member the next day, according to the charges against Rolf.
The teen told investigators that Rolf used tissues after the incident and placed those in a tea bottle. According to the criminal complaint, police found the bottle in a garbage can along with tissues inside. Semen was found on a tissue that matched Rolf's DNA.
The girl also believed that a camera pointed toward the room would also corroborate her story. However, police found that the camera had not been working.
Rolf denied any sexual contact with the teen when questioned by other staff members and law enforcement, according to the DHS report. After being accused of the assault that night, another staff member told a DHS investigator that Rolf was told to go home and come back the next morning.
Rolf was suspended at some point by the facility. After resigning in June, he said in a letter sent to DHS that his resignation was caused by the “false allegation of misconduct.”
DHS disqualified Rolf from working at any licensed facility that works with children or vulnerable adults.
The Center is operated by Volunteers of America, a non-profit that also runs three other child treatment centers in Anoka, Blaine and Minnetonka.
According to the DHS report, the Center completed an internal audit and found that “facility policies and procedures were adequate.” The broken surveillance camera was fixed, and staff retrained on “maintaining boundaries with residents.”
Volunteers of America provided the following statement to KARE 11:
Children’s Residential Treatment Center’s (CRTC) highest priority is the safety of those in its care.
Upon first learning of the allegation, CRTC took prompt action to respond in accordance with its policies and procedures. The involved staff member is no longer employed by CRTC.
We have learned of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) finding of staff maltreatment and will continue to fully cooperate with both DHS and law enforcement through this process.
CRTC has been providing residential treatment services to youth for over 20 years. We are deeply concerned by this situation.
