75 Boys Sexually Assaulted
An Illinois state teacher who has spent 20 years instructing students at Antioch, Ilinois Upper Grade School has been arrested on charges of child pornography and could have sexually abused as many as 75 boys, said Lake County Sheriff's Office officials during a press conference on Jan. 26. Kenneth Lee Johnson, 60, of 450 N. Main St., Apt. 407, in Wauconda, was arrested Jan. 20 and charged with 10 counts of illegal possession of child pornography, which is a Class 3 felony, said Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran during the press conference.
During a search of Johnson's residence, Curran said, investigators seized several DVDs, floppy disks and printed materials that contained more than 1,000 images and close to 100 video clips of child pornography. Victims in the material were males who were infant age to approximately 15 years old, Curran said, adding that none of the images or videos in Johnson's possession are believed to be of students at Antioch Upper Grade School.
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Curran said that detectives with the sheriff's office began investigating Johnson after receiving information about him from the FBI shortly after Jan. 1. He said that Johnson admitted to having child pornography when investigators went to his home. At that time, Johnson also said that he has sexually abused as many as 75 boys - including children in his neighborhood and within Antioch School District 34 - during the last 35 years, Curran said.
Officials are investigating these claims, he said, but have not been able to substantiate any of them. The sheriff called the charges "alarming and disturbing" and said he was particularly troubled by the fact that the charges are against someone who was "in a position to mold the next generation's morals and values."
Investigators currently are speaking with possible victims named by Johnson and trying to differentiate between factual claims and fantasy, Curran said.
All of those who have been interviewed by investigators so far have denied that they were abused by Johnson, he said. Officials are asking anyone who has been abused by Johnson to contact the police at 847-377-4000. The teacher was hired by District 34 in 1989 and had taught social studies at the Antioch middle school.
Johnson was removed from his teaching assignment immediately after the district was notified by the sheriff's office of his arrest, said Scott Thompson, superintendent of the district.
Johnson was being held on $500,000 bond at the time of the press conference. Report From Lake County Journal and Video From WGN 6
Three Evanston, Illinois men are charged with a hate crime for an attack on a man they perceived to be gay, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's office. (Photo left to right Sean Little, Benjamin Eder, Kevin McAndrew)
The attack happened January 10 on a CTA Red Line train. The three men allegedly began making "anti-gay" remarks to a passenger. Another passenger got involved and the men then physically attacked him. Prosecutors say the men beat the 33-year-old victim and called him "faggot" and other derogatory terms.
The fight spilled out to the platform when the train stopped at the Argyle Station and police came and broke it up.
The men charged are Sean Little, 21, Benjamin Eder, 23, and Kevin McAndrew, 23.
They were originally charged with misdemeanor battery. The hate crime charges were filed yesterday. If convicted, they face a maximum 5 year sentence.
“The damage of a crime such as this goes well beyond the original victim and permeates the entire community," said State's Attorney Anita Alvarez in a press release. "These crimes are taken seriously and they will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Bond for each suspect was set at $10,000.
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Four federal lawsuits were filed against a Chicago Police officer accused of targeting gay and lesbian drivers by falsifying DUI charges and other traffic violations, using excessive force and engaging in harassment of the arrested victims according to 
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Andy Thayer, co-founder of the 
