Former Sycamore school employee pleads guilty to battering students, gets court-ordered restoration plan

A former Sycamore School District 427 employee accused of inappropriately touching multiple students pleaded guilty recently to felony battery in exchange for admittance into a behavioral rehabilitation program that could see his conviction reduced to a misdemeanor, records show.

Steven E. Jamrog, who in court records last listed a Sycamore address, pleaded guilty on July 15 to one count of aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony, according to DeKalb County court records. He originally was charged on Feb. 28, 2024, with six counts of felony aggravated battery. He previously pleaded not guilty to the charges April 29, 2024, records show.

In exchange for his plea, 23-year-old Jamrog won’t get prison time, however.

DeKalb County State’s Attorney Riley Oncken said his office spoke with school district staff while assessing how to prosecute the case.

“After speaking to school district personnel to get their perspective on the incident and Mr. Jamrog, our office determined that Mr. Jamrog was a socially awkward young man who did not have appropriate boundaries with the students,” Oncken said.

Prosecutor Joseph Hodder, Jamrog, and Jamrog’s defense lawyer, Michael Doyle, signed what local court officials called a “restore/renew agreement.” That means Jamrog’s felony conviction could be reduced to a misdemeanor battery on his record, so long as he completes the program.

Doyle did not respond to request for comment from Shaw Local News Network on behalf of Jamrog, who faced up to three years in prison on the original charges.

Oncken said his office considered Jamrog’s coworkers and supervisors while working to craft the plea deal.

“Personnel at the high school felt that he was not a predator and the best outcome for everyone involved was for him to get some counseling services to understand appropriate boundaries and social interactions,” Oncken said.

As a result of the agreement, Jamrog was ordered to undergo counseling. Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery deferred his sentence for 12 months to give him time to complete the restore program, records show.

Oncken said the program Jamrog joined is unique to his office, but predates his time in the elected position.

“The goal is to provide individuals with an opportunity to get services to address the issues which resulted in the criminal charges and to give a second chance to first-time offenders,” Oncken said. “The goal is to help people who our office believes warrant a second chance to avoid a felony conviction and to address the behaviors that led to the charges.”

In February 2024, five Sycamore High School students told police that Jamrog inappropriately touched them, according to court records. One of those students said that Jamrog pulled her onto his lap and kept her from getting away from him, according to a police synopsis filed in court. Another student told police Jamrog inappropriately touched her so many times that she could not recall the number, according to the synopsis.

Jamrog worked as a Spartan TV assistant in Sycamore High School’s media program. He worked directly with students at times. Some of his duties included video recording school board meetings.

Jamrog’s workplace behavior also was the subject of an internal Sycamore School District investigation through the Sycamore High School administration, according to a statement from former Superintendent Steve Wilder on Feb. 27, 2024. Jamrog resigned from his position as a district employee before the district investigation was completed, however, Wilder previously said.

Wilder has faced his own employment changes in the district, though school board president Michael DeVito said Tuesday that the district’s decision to part ways with the superintendent had nothing to do with Jamrog’s case.

Jamrog was ordered to pay $2,381 in restitution, records show.

Oncken said the restitution will go to the family of one of the students who “sought counseling as a result of the incident.”

Oncken said his office offered Jamrog the restore agreement because of the nature of Jamrog’s behavior.

“Had the school or our office felt that he was ‘grooming’ students or had the physical touching been more sexual in nature, we would not have made the same determination.”