(La Porte, IN) - A former LaPorte High School coach has been found not guilty of inappropriately touching one of the students in the Winter Guard program.

 

The verdict was delivered on November 28 by a jury, following a two-day trial in LaPorte Circuit Court.

 

Medrano was accused of inappropriately touching a 16-year-old female student at LaPorte High School during the 2019-2020 school year, with charges being filed against Medrano the following year after the girl came forward with the allegations.

 

He was the Winter Guard coach and she was one of the student performers.

 

In a prepared statement, Medrano said “I am so grateful to the jury for seeing the truth. I feel vindicated but also saddened because I can never get back the last two years of my life.”  

 

Despite the verdict, he said “I will probably never coach again. It’s unfortunate because I was very proud of my work, and it had brought me so much joy and fulfillment for over 30 years.”

 

Medrano was employed by LaPorte High School for more than two decades, serving as a coach for the school’s Color and Winter Guard programs.

 

He commuted her from Chicago.

 

According to court documents, the girl told police his hands were placed strictly on the outside of her clothing and it happened often before and after practice when nobody was around during the 2019 season.

 

The investigation also found a then 61-year-old Medrano allegedly had the girl try on several low cut V neck outfits and told her things like “you’re hot."