LAKE FOREST — Police are investigating whether a registered sex offender who volunteered at a Lake Forest church violated Illinois law as it relates to people on the registry.
Recently the LFPD received a complaint that a person whose name is on the state’s sex offender registry was volunteering at First Presbyterian Church, which runs a preschool on its property. Commander Craig Lepkowski said it is unclear whether
the person’s proximity to a private preschool violates Illinois law.
“That statute is clear in some areas and murky in others,” said Lepkowski. “That is why we’re working with the (Lake County) State’s Attorney to see if there is a violation. We are getting statements and interviewing people. We will turn that over to the state’s attorney who will make a determination.”
Police issued a news release on October 27, stating that the registered offender was no longer volunteering on church premises. “To date there are no reports of any contact with children,” said Lepkowski in a DailyNorthShore.com interview.
The church issued a statement that also indicated the registered offender is not there anymore and that there were no reports of any inappropriate contact, according to Jim Seymour, the moderator of the church’s personnel committee and an elected elder.
“The safety and security of our church community are of utmost importance to us,” the statement reads. “The individual in question is no longer at the church and there have been no reports of any related impropriety. We are cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation.”
Seymour said there would be no further comment at this time.
Lepkowski said the name of the registered sex offender is being withheld because police do not yet know if any laws were broken. He said the investigation began October 24 when a person contacted police about the registered offender worried about his proximity to the church’s preschool.
The registered offender most likely did his volunteer work at times the preschool was in session, according to Lepkowski. “Probably so,” said Lepkowski when asked the question by DNS. “He was not there overnight when the preschool was not in session.”
Lepkowski said the investigation is continuing and he is uncertain when it will be complete or how soon the state’s attorney will make a decision.