May 20, 2024
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Ex-District 300 employee pleads not guilty to charges involving child sex abuse images

Cary man accused of ‘enticing’ child younger than 13 to share images of ‘lewd exhibition’

By Amanda Marrazzo
Donald J. Peters, 34, of Cary, who works at Westfield Community School in Algonquin, a Community Unit School District 300 was arrested Tuesday and charged with two Class X felony counts of solicitation and reproduction or distribution of child pornography. (Inset photo provided by Algonquin Police Department)

Donald J. Peters, 34, of Cary, who works at Westfield Community School in Algonquin, a Community Unit School District 300 was arrested Tuesday and charged with two Class X felony counts of solicitation and reproduction or distribution of child pornography. (Inset photo provided by Algonquin Police Department) (Shaw Local News Network)

In a second case filed against him this year, a now former Community School District 300 employee pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he solicited a child for sexually explicit images.

Donald J. Peters, 35, of Cary was charged with child pornography, a Class X felony, as well as grooming and two counts of luring, according to a McHenry County indictment dated Nov. 2. The Class X felony charge carries a punishment of up to 30 years in prison.

McHenry County prosecutors alleged Peters solicited, enticed, coerced or persuaded a juvenile “whom he knew or reasonably should have known to be under the age of 13, to appear in any stage play, live presentation, film, videotape, photograph or other similar visual reproduction or depiction by computer in which the child would be depicted actually or by simulation in any act, pose, posture or setting involving ... lewd exhibition,” according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County court.

Peters, who before the SAFE-T Act took effect posted cash bond and was released from the county jail while awaiting trial on different charges, also is accused of “knowingly use[ing] a device capable of electronic data storage or transmission or used written communication to seduce, solicit, lure or entice or attempt to seduce ..... [a] juvenile victim to distribute photographs depicting” the child’s private parts, according to the complaint.

The luring charges allege Peters knowingly contacted a juvenile victim younger than 15 “for unlawful purposes,” according to the indictment.

Peters had worked as the attendance secretary at Algonquin’s Westfield Community School in Algonquin-based District 300. Officials placed Peters on administrative leave after his July 17 arrest.

A District 300 spokesperson declined to comment on the charges against Peters.

On Sept. 7, Peters was indicted on charges that included reproducing child pornography involving a child under the age of 13, a Class X felony, as well as possession of child pornography of a child younger than 13, child pornography/solicitation, electronic harassment/threatening a person, electronic harassment/obscene proposal, cyberstalking/causing a person fear, and cyberstalking/causing a person distress, as well as two counts of intimidation, court records show.

Peters pleaded not guilty to those charges Sept. 8.

If convicted on the Class X felony charges, Peters faces consecutive sentencing, fines up to $100,000, and would be required to register as a sex offender for life, Judge James Cowlin said during his arraignment Thursday.

Peters is due back in court on both cases Jan. 4.