Sentencing continued for Alexandria educator who pleaded guilty to child molestation

Jan. 8—ANDERSON — The sentencing of a former educator at the Alexandria Monroe High School has been continued.

Daniel P. Kuhn, 38, entered the pleas last month as part of a plea agreement. He entered pleas of guilty to charges of child seduction and child molesting.

Madison Circuit Court Division 3 Judge Andrew Hopper was to have sentenced Kuhn on Monday, but the hearing was continued because the judge was not available.

The plea agreement calls for a 16-year prison sentence with 10 years to be executed.

Kuhn, a former special education teacher at Alexandria-Monroe High School, was placed on administrative leave in March 2021, according to an affidavit of probable cause by Alexandria Police Detective Brian Holtzleiter.

The student Kuhn is accused of molesting was 12, but has an intellectual intelligence level of a child half her age, according to the affidavit. She has also been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

A co-worker reported to school officials that he went to Kuhn's classroom to borrow a printer, but discovered the classroom door was locked, according to the affidavit. He let himself into the room with a key and found two students in a dark classroom watching a movie.

Kuhn and the girl were in another room with the lights out and Kuhn was sitting on the floor in the dark leaning against a wall, according to the affidavit. The student was lying on the floor next to Kuhn.

The co-worker said a light outside of the room made it difficult to see in and he could not see any movement until Kuhn stood up. The co-worker said Kuhn was acting nervous and "stammering over himself," according to the affidavit.

The co-worker said Kuhn was "reluctant to leave the dark room."

"It was very obvious that there was something going on," the co-worker told Holtzleiter.

The co-worker immediately reported the incident to Principal Tom Johns and Kuhn was removed from the classroom, placed on paid administrative leave and told not to have contact with the girl or her family, according to the affidavit.

Moments after being escorted out of the building, Kuhn allegedly contacted Shay Powell, a paraprofessional who works in the classroom with him part-time, according to the affidavit.

Powell said Kuhn told her the student was not feeling well and asked to lie down on cushions in the second room that is used as a sensory room, according to the affidavit.

Powell said Kuhn's assertion was unusual because the student did not appear to feel sick before she left for the day and the students either sit in a rocking chair or on bouncy balls when they are in the room.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.