Woodstock piano teacher pleads guilty to battery of child during lessons

An 80-year-old piano teacher from Woodstock pleaded guilty Thursday to inappropriately touching a child during lessons and was sentenced to one year of conditional discharge, according to documents in the McHenry County courthouse.

Donald C. Beyer, of the 800 block of Wicker Street, pleaded guilty to one count of battery, a Class A misdemeanor, in which he is accused of making physical contact of an insulting nature with the child between June 1, 2021, through and Aug. 15, 2022, according to the complaint.

Beyer was accused of putting “his hand on (the child’s) thigh, holding (the child’s) thigh midway between (the child’s) knee and waist and (holding the child’s) hand, according to the complaint.

The child would have been a teenager during the time of the alleged incidents.

Beyer is ordered not to have any contact with the child and also required to pay $1,038.30 in fines and fees, according to a supplemental sentencing order.

In exchange for entering a guilty plea to the one charge, McHenry County prosecutors dismissed two additional charges of battery involving two other minors, according to court records.

He was accused of making contact of an “insulting nature” with a child between June 1, 2021, and July 15, 2022.

Regarding a third child, he was accused of touching and holding the child’s hand between Feb. 10, 2021, and Aug. 10, 2022, according to the complaint.

The incidents took place while Beyer was teaching piano lessons at the children’s homes, McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Ashur Youash said.

Beyer’s attorney declined to comment.