The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

October 28, 2008

School official charged

GAYLORD — A Sibley East School District official is facing felony charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a female high school student several times in 2007.

Kevin David Jones, 47, appeared in Sibley County District Court Monday for five felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Jones is the transportation director for Sibley East.

The Sibley County Sheriff’s Department received a report of an ongoing sexual relationship between a school official and a student on Sept. 29. 2008.

When the girl was interviewed, she told investigators she had known Jones since summer 2006. She said she would meet him regularly, often on school property, but the relationship didn’t become sexual until a year later, the criminal complaint said. The assaults included both oral sex and intercourse, she reported.

Most of the assaults occurred at the Sibley East bus garage in Gaylord, but there were later incidents on public property in Arlington, the criminal complaint said.

At one point the girl’s parents became concerned about her relationship with Jones and filed for a restraining order. Jones fought the restraining order, which resulted in a trial.

During the trial, both Jones and the girl testified there had been no inappropriate behavior. The girl later told authorities that Jones, who is married and has two children, told her to lie during the trial.

The two continued to meet while there was a temporary court order telling Jones to stay away from the girl, the criminal complaint said. Those meetings allegedly took place in Arlington, at the Gaylord school and at Jones’ house in Gaylord.

Jones continued to contact the girl by telephone and through text messages after she told him to stay away last summer. When the girl threatened to contact police, Jones allegedly sent text messages saying, “I won’t ever say anything again. Don’t ruin my life,” the complaint said.

It was not clear Monday if Jones was still working for the school district because Sibley East Supt. John Langenbrunner could not be reached for comment late Monday afternoon.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News