Former K-M employee acquitted on all charges

A Dodge County Jury acquitted a former Kasson-Mantorville employee on all charges last week.
Last year Kian Sean Moran, 24, was charged with one felony and one gross misdemeanor criminal sexual conduct charge, and one misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
According to the original charging documents, in April of 2023, the school resource officer, Jesse Kasel, was assigned an intake report involving inappropriate contact between a K-M staff member and two female Middle School students. There were also allegations made by multiple students that had been reported to the Middle School Principal Josh Larson of inappropriate conduct by Moran, the complaint said. The students said that Moran had groped students’ chests and generally made them feel uncomfortable in his presence.
After interviewing the students, Kasel spoke with Moran who said that during study hall students would ask for help with their homework. Moran said that he would stand to the side of the table and not behind the students and said he maintained a three-foot radius from any student and denied any inappropriate conduct.
The charges against Moran were filed June 7, 2023.
The jury verdict sheets, which were made available to the public following the trial, stated “lack of evidence,” on the not guilty forms.
The District terminated Moran’s employment contract according to a May 1 School Board agenda, however, a filing by Moran’s Defense Team in February indicated the firing was related to attendance.
“The State intends to introduce the fact that Mr. Moran was terminated from his employment due to these allegations,” Defense Attorney Zachary Bauer wrote in a motion to dismiss. “However, Mr. Moran's termination was ultimately related to his absences.”