MSOP psychologist charged with criminal sexual misconduct

A psychologist at the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP) in Moose Lake was arrested last week for allegedly engaging in sexual relationshp with two clients over the past four years at the treatment facility.

Michelle Dawn Brownfield, 38, was charged in Carlton County Sixth District Court on Monday, April 26, with two counts of felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

MSOP is a secure treatment facility serving clients committed as sexually dangerous persons and sexually psychopathic personalities. Brownfield is a Minnesota licensed psychologist whose duties included performing psychological assessment and evaluations of clients at the facility.

According to the criminal complaint, in September 2020 a client who was identified by the initials D.B. reported that he had been engaged with a long relationship with Brownfield. D.B. said the relationship developed over time after he was referred for assessments in 2016, with sexual contact and penetration occuring in the assessment office. After D.B. was transferred to a Department of Corrections facility from 2017, the two continued to communicate with his sister as a go-between, until he returned to MSOP as a client in 2019.

A second MSOP client, identified as E.P., reported to his primary therapist that he had been engaged in a sexual relationship with Brownfield beginning around the fall of 2017. He told officers he was aware of her relationship with D.B. and said she approached him and they “discussed that relationship and then began discussing sex.” According to the complaint, they met in the assessment room on multiple occasions and would allegedly engage in sexual discussions and masturbate. In February 2018, E.P. said they met in a polygraph room and engaged in sexual intercourse, for the only time. During their relationship, they used E.P.’s girlfriend outside the facility as a go-between.

According to the criminal complaint, officers collected text communications between Brownfield and D.B.’s sister, in which the psychologist discussed the stress of leading a double life and putting her career in jeopardy, among other things. Police also have text messages between Brownfield and E.P.’s girlfriend as well as data and photographs from Brownfield’s phone, which was analyzed by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The phone contained a great deal of sexually explicit material including photos and written entries, the complaint said.

Brownfield was released with conditions, including reporting to probation and her attorney and abiding by a no-contact order for both D.B. and E.P. An omnibus hearing is set for June 9.