What are the charges against Cassidy Kraus? Iowa school teacher admits to sexually abusing minors ahead of sentencing hearing

Cassidy Kraus, a former school teacher in Iowa, pleaded guilty to many crimes involving minor boys on Monday, February 5, 2024. She was accused of "engaging in sexually oriented acts" with three of her students, the youngest of whom was only 13 at the time.

At a hearing in the first week of February, Cassidy Kraus, 24, entered a guilty plea to three counts of distributing and displaying inappropriate images to minors, two counts of engaging in lascivious actions with a child by caressing or touching them, and one crime of third-degree s*xual assault. The Carol County Sheriff’s Office said in the complaint:

"It is alleged that while employed as a teacher at the IKM Manning School, Kraus engaged in multiple s*xually oriented acts with three different students, the youngest of which being 13.”

According to the authorities, all of her charges are related to the events that happened in Iowa in 2022 and 2023, in which three boys, aged 13 and 14, were involved.

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Cassidy Kraus used Snapchat to disseminate obscene material to minors

According to the Post, Cassidy Kraus, a former Iowa teacher, was employed by the IKM-Manning Community School in Iowa. Kraus reportedly entered a guilty plea to allegations of s*xual abuse against three kids in the first week of February.

According to NDTV, the official criminal complaint said that Kraus had “performed s*x acts with a person 14 years of age” and that the instructor had used Snapchat to “disseminate obscene material.” Between January and May 2022, she sent the material to one boy; between January and June 2023, she sent it to two more boys.

According to the lawsuit, the former teacher is accused of lascivious activities against a 13-year-old by "fondling or touching" him in May 2022. KTIV reported that Kraus was charged with three charges of distributing and displaying pornographic images to kids, two counts of engaging in lewd behavior with a juvenile, and one crime of third-degree s*xual assault. The maximum cumulative term allowed by Iowa law for these charges is 33 years in prison.

After working with the Manning Police Department on a joint investigation, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office arrested Kraus in October. She then appeared in Carroll County District Court on Monday, February 5, where she made her pleas. The judge then declared by the court order that her sentencing would occur on March 11, 2024.

According to jail records, Cassidy Kraus paid a $10,000 bond shortly after her arrest. On Monday, February 5, the judge further declared that her parole terms would not change before her sentencing hearing.

As per Inside Edition, the court documents revealed that these incidents happened soon after her marriage in July 2023. The documents further stated that her spouse, Zachary, filed for divorce on August 28. According to the NY Post, school officials said the instructor handed over her resignation three days before the divorce filing.

According to the same outlet, Kraus received many promotions at Iowa State University for her "outstanding academic achievement" in her courses related to elementary education.

Cassidy Kraus is now facing a potential term of more than 30 years in jail for the illicit act. Therefore, she has been instructed to contact the Department of Correctional Services to arrange a presentence investigation interview.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Department did not say anything further regarding the incident.

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