Ex-Sycamore School District 427 employee pleads not guilty to battering students

SYCAMORE – A former Sycamore School District 427 employee pleaded not guilty this week to aggravated battery charges brought on by accusations that he inappropriately touched multiple students while employed with the district, court records show.

Steven Jamrog, 21, of Sycamore, is charged with six counts of Class 4 aggravated battery, according to DeKalb County court records. If convicted, he could face up to three years in prison.

Jamrog has been free on pretrial release since his Feb. 27 arrest. He was arrested by Sycamore police, processed and released the same day with a notice to appear in court, the Sycamore Police Department announced at the time. Class 4 aggravated battery is a non-detainable offense under the new provisions outlined in the Illinois SAFE-T Act, which prohibits cash bail.

Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery on Monday presided over Jamrog’s arraignment hearing after Jamrog pleaded not guilty and elected instead for a jury to decide his fate.

At Jamrog’s request, Montgomery also amended the conditions of Jamrog’s pretrial release, allowing him to travel outside of Illinois for “work purposes,” according to DeKalb County court records filed Monday.

Jamrog is expected to appear for a status hearing at 1:30 p.m. May 6 and for Montgomery to rule on a request filed by Shaw Local News Network for extended media coverage in the case. Jamrog’s Sycamore-based defense lawyer, Michael Doyle, filed an objection to media coverage Monday, arguing that it could interfere with Jamrog’s ability to receive a fair and impartial trial, according to court records.

Word of Jamrog’s alleged behavior while working as a district employee became public Feb. 27, after the Sycamore Police Department and Sycamore Superintendent Steve Wilder released separate statements confirming his arrest.

He worked as a Spartan TV assistant in Sycamore High School’s media program. Among his duties included video recordings of school board meetings.

Jamrog’s alleged behavior also was the subject of an internal Sycamore School District investigation through the Sycamore High School administration, according to Wilder’s Feb. 27 statement. Jamrog resigned from his position as a district employee before the district investigation was completed however, Wilder previously said. Sycamore school officials were notified of Jamrog’s arrest the afternoon of Feb. 27, according to Wilder’s statement.

Sycamore police opened an investigation Feb. 11 after a student older than 13 told police Jamrog allegedly touched them in a way “that made them feel uncomfortable,” authorities said in a Sycamore Police Department news release Feb. 27. The student told police other students also discussed similar behaviors by Jamrog. Police learned multiple other students alleged inappropriate touching by Jamrog inside a district building on numerous occasions, according to the release.

This story was updated at 5:58 p.m. May 1, 2023, to correct an earlier version which misstated the date that Sycamore Superintendent Steve Wilder sent out a message to district families. That email was sent Feb. 27.