A former Interlake-area teacher was taken into custody by sheriff’s officers Tuesday morning after a judge sentenced him to 33 months in prison for child luring.
Over the course of eight months, Kevin Braun and the then 14-year-old victim exchanged more than 8,000 text and Instagram messages, detailing an emotionally intimate relationship and discussion of secret meetings where they would hug.
Braun, 31, “was grooming her to be receptive to touching of a sexual nature,” provincial court Judge Cindy Sholdice said. “He used the communications to test her, gain her trust, to confess his love for her… to set up secret meetings to engage in physical contact, (and) to normalize and lengthen their physical contact.”
The victim sat in the court gallery, supported by family members, and left in tears at the conclusion of the hearing.
‘Favourite person ever’
Court heard Braun first met the girl when he became her home-room teacher and began communicating with her through social media the following year when he became her basketball coach.
The messages included evidence of the two sharing lunch together at Braun’s home, watching a movie at the girl’s home when her parents were away, time together in a hotel room during a school sports trip, secret meetings to share hugs and warnings from Braun that the girl be careful no one find out about their relationship and “get the wrong impression.”
In one message, Braun, married at the time and expecting a child, told the girl she was his “favourite person ever,” and in another that he “freakin love(d)” her.
At trial, Braun claimed his relationship with the girl was that of a supportive “big brother” and did not believe at the time he was doing anything wrong.
“He chose to exploit his position to groom a child, knowing full well what he was doing was wrong and that there would be serious consequences if caught.”–Judge Cindy Sholdice
A psychological report commissioned by the defence in advance of sentencing found Braun had no sexual intent in his communications with the girl. Sholdice said the doctor who prepared the report did not review the text communications or Sholdice’s reasons for convicting Braun.
“It appears he accepted Mr. Braun’s explanation he was simply engaging in the communications to be helpful or supportive to the victim, which would not have amounted to an offence and was also the very evidence I rejected,” Sholdice said.
Support letters provided to court described Braun as a “loving, caring, kind, compassionate and hard-working person,” court heard.
But Braun’s otherwise good standing in the community did little to reduce his moral culpability for his crimes, Sholdice said.
“It was because of his respected role as a teacher and high school coach that allowed him to be trusted with children and allowed for his access to the victim,” she said. “He chose to exploit his position to groom a child, knowing full well what he was doing was wrong and that there would be serious consequences if caught.”
Braun was fired after police charged him and he later voluntarily surrendered his teaching certificate.
Braun is one of several Manitoba teachers in recent years to be charged with sexual offences against students.
On Monday, city police announced a former teacher at Collége Béliveau, Amanda Rachelle Sherrett, had been charged with luring and sexually exploiting a former student.
Last December, Chasity Jenna Deah Findlay, a former St. Norbert Collegiate teacher, was convicted of sexual assault and sexual interference for a two-year series of offences beginning when the victim was 15 years old.
Last month, a two-day sentencing hearing was held for former high school football coach Kelsey McKay, who admitted to sexual offences against nine students, spanning a decade.
Sherrett and McKay are both awaiting sentencing.
Between January 2022 and mid-October 2023, six Manitoba teachers had their teaching licences suspended, voluntarily surrendered or revoked for sexual misconduct involving children.
dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Dean Pritchard
Courts reporter
Someone once said a journalist is just a reporter in a good suit. Dean Pritchard doesn’t own a good suit. But he knows a good lawsuit.