LACLEDE COUNTY, Mo. — Jesse Warren Devore is guilty, a unanimous jury decided on Friday, in the resolution of a high-profile sexual misconduct case that resulted in multiple lawsuits against the Camdenton R-III School District, where Devore was a janitor and exposed himself to children in school bathrooms.
In the final day of the trial, Devore, 30 was found guilty on all six counts of sexual misconduct indecent exposure with a juvenile under 15.
The jury deliberated for three hours on Friday before returning with the verdict.
Camden County Judge Kenneth Hayden and a jury of six men and women heard closing remarks from Camden County Prosecutor Caleb Cunningham and defense counsel Stacy Patterson on Friday morning.
Devore acknowledged to Judge Hayden that his counsel was effective, after questioning why the defense had not called his former employer to the stand as a witness to what kind of employee he was for the district, and of how he had been promised a promotion. He wanted the jury to hear that he “was climbing the career ladder” in his maintenance position for the Camdenton school district.
Judge Kenneth Hayden advised the court to avoid emotional outbursts, noting, “I understand this is an emotionally charged case.”
The victims' families were moved to tears at the announcement of the verdict of a unanimous decision, after the defense called for the jury to be polled on the guilty verdicts.
Devore, dressed in a black, pinstriped suit, slumped and bowed his head.
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