Attorney General’s Office and Winona County Attorney’s Office secure convictions for criminal sexual conduct

Eric Dione Birth pleads guilty to three counts of 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct following sexual assaults of students

January 22, 2026 (SAINT PAUL) — Yesterday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office has secured the conviction of Eric Dione Birth on three counts of 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct involving three different victims in Winona, Minnesota.

Birth served as coach on the Winona Senior High School track team beginning in the spring of 2016.  In 2021, Birth became a licensed teacher and taught physical education at Winona Senior High School, in addition to serving as a track coach. At yesterday’s plea hearing, Birth admitted he sexually assaulted three different high school students in 2016, 2017, and 2022, while employed as a coach and teacher at the school.

Attorney General Ellison’s office prosecuted Birth upon a referral from Winona County Attorney Karin Sonneman under Minnesota Statutes section 8.01, which provides, “Upon request of the county attorney, the attorney general shall appear in court in such criminal cases as the attorney general deems proper.” The authority vested in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office is primarily civil.  Aside from referrals submitted under section 8.01 and Medicaid fraud, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office does not have prosecuting authority over most criminal acts. That authority generally rests with city and county attorneys.

“Eric Birth’s crimes are appalling, and my heart breaks for the students he assaulted,” said Attorney General Ellison. “I will do everything in my power to hold adults like Birth accountable when they abuse positions of authority to harm young people. Justice demands no less.”

Attorney General Ellison thanks the Winona Police Department, who assisted in the investigation and successful prosecution of this crime.