Hiroki Ito

A former Minot Public Schools paraprofessional accused of initiating inappropriate relationships with teenage students has entered a guilty plea to three felony charges.

Hiroki Ito, 27, entered his change of plea during a hearing in North Central District Court on Monday, Oct. 6, pleading guilty to solicitation of a minor-victim under 15-within 50 feet of a school and luring minors by computer, both Class B felonies, and one Class C felony count of promoting obscenity to minors.

Ito, who was employed at Central Middle School in Minot at the time, was charged in December 2024, after Minot Police investigated reports made by parents of one of the victims after sexual messages Ito exchanged with the teen were discovered.

According to the affidavits of probable cause filed in the case, Ito had been communicating up to three children by text, phone calls, social media, meet-ups outside of school and held “virtual sleepovers” with the teens over video calls.

According to court documents, Ito was escorted off campus and placed on administrative leave after MPS Administration and the school resource officer received reports of the inappropriate contact and relationships.

Ito’s sentencing has been scheduled for Feb. 4, 2026.