Feb 27, 2007 8:08 pm US/Central
Math Teacher In Mundelein Charged With Child Porn
Authorities: Teacher Had 17-Year-Old Student Send Naked Photos Through Cell Phone
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (Lake County News-Sun) ―
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Scott Lempa
Village of Mundelein
A 33-year-old mathematics teacher at Mundelein High School was charged Tuesday afternoon in Lake County Circuit Court with child pornography, for allegedly having a 17-year-old student send him naked photos of herself using her cell phone.
Judge Valerie Boettle Ceckowski set bond at $75,000 for Scott S. Lempa, of the 2000 block of Clematis Drive, Algonquin.
Lempa, who has taught at MHS for 12 years and also been the assistant coach of the girls' volleyball team, has been placed on administrative leave, according to Mundelein Deputy Police Chief Michael O'Brien.
"We are at the no comment stage," said Linda Hanson, MHS interim superintendent.
Lempa has been charged with three counts of production of child pornography. A conviction of the special Class One felony carries a prison sentence of four to 15 years, and is non-probationable, said prosecutor Patricia Fix.
Fix said in court that Lempa had encouraged the girl to use the camera in her cell phone to take photos of her naked breasts, and her buttocks while she was wearing a thong, and to send it over the internet. The girl initially sent a photo of her breasts, Fix said, and then, responding to Lempa's comments, sent additional photos of her breasts and of her buttocks.
The girl, a student in one of his math classes, told investigators that Lempa had offered to send a photo of his penis, but she declined.
The police department began an investigation Monday of a complaint of inappropriate conduct by a teacher, involving soliciting and receiving child pornography, through cell phone text messages and photos. Lempa's home and school computers, and his cell telephone have been seized and a forensic analysis is being conducted, to determine if there were any additional violations or other students involved, according to police.
Lempa was taken into custody Tuesday.
Ceckowski set a court date Friday for status of attorney.
She barred Lempa from any contact with MHS or any persons younger than 17.
Lempa is the second Lake County teacher in two months to be charged with child pornography. In December, Wayne Kuklinski, 59 of Ingleside, was charged with 30 counts of child pornography. The Lake Zurich Unit District school board suspended him without pay or benefits in January. A former head football coach, he had been on the staff for 30 years. He was arrested following a sting by a Highland Park Police Department investigator who had been posing on the internet as a 15-year-old girl.
(CBS 2 and the Lake County News-Sun are news partners covering stories in the north suburbs of Chicago. If you know of stories happening in this region,
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