A former Joliet school teacher facing felony charges of grooming and indecent solicitation of a student violated his position of trust in the “most abhorrent fashion conceivable,” Joliet’s police chief said.

Alex Buetikofer, 38, of Lisle was transported to the Kendall County jail on Saturday on multiple charges alleging that he solicited someone he believed was a child to engage in sexual acts and traveled to a McDonald’s in Yorkville to meet with a minor.

Buetikofer was a teacher at Aux Sable Middle School in Joliet until he was removed from the classroom in early March once officials with Plainfield School District 202 learned of the grooming allegations against him.

The district then contacted the Joliet Police Department on March 13. The district’s board approved Buetikofer’s termination on March 25.

In a statement, District 202 Superintendent Glenn Wood said when “allegations of this nature arise,” the district “act swiftly and decisively.”

“We are grateful for the quick action of our building and district administration, as well as the cooperation of the families involved, law enforcement and school officials, whose collective response helped ensure student safety,” Wood said.

Wood said Buetikofer was in his second year with District 202 before he was fired.

Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said at a Monday news conference that Buetikofer was in a “position of trust” who was “placed in a role of authority and responsibility over young people.”

“Based on this investigation, trust was seriously violated in the most abhorrent fashion conceivable,” Evans said, adding that the Buetikofer case goes “way beyond inappropriate communication. ... That betrayal reaches far beyond the individual victims. It affects families, classmates, school staff and the larger community that depends on trusted adults to do the right thing.”

Buetikofer also had been working for Hinsdale School District 86 until March 18, when that district learned of the allegations at District 202.

The district “acted promptly to end his involvement as a lacrosse coach at Hinsdale Central,” and ceased all associations with him on March 19, according to District 86 officials.

On March 6, Buetikofer engaged in a conversation with a student in the cafeteria at Aux Sable Middle School and asked the student for their phone number, according to a court record detailing Buetikofer’s felony arrest.

“This exchange was captured on Aux Sable’s school surveillance system. Video footage of the cafeteria shows Buetikofer providing paper while [the student] writes down her number,” according to the court records.

Later on March 6, Buetikofer sent the student several text messages.

One of those messages reads, “Would you feel comfortable hanging out outside of school, like going to the mall or something? Nothing crazy. I could buy you anything you want lol.”

The same day, Buetikofer put his hands on the shoulder of another student for about 30 seconds after wanting to speak to her about her grades, court records show.

Buetikofer said she was his favorite student and wanted to keep in touch with her, either by cellphone, Snapchat or email. However, the student told him, “No,” court records show.

Buetikofer asked the student, “Am I making you uncomfortable?” but the student did not reply and later reported to the incident to the school dean, court records show.

Buetikofer had a protective order petitioned against him on March 16 in Will County.

During the police investigation, detectives identified multiple instances in which Buetikofer “allegedly attempted to establish personal, non-school-related relationships with students,” Evans said.

“This included requesting phone numbers and social media accounts from female students,” Evans said.

Between April 6 and April 17, Joliet Police Detectives Kristoff Petro and Andrea Espinosa conducted a text-based undercover operation with the knowledge and consent of the victim’s family, according to Evans and court records.

The detectives communicated with Buetikofer “under the guise of a student,” Evans said.

“Throughout these exchanges, Buetikofer demonstrated clear understanding that he believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old female student,” Evans said.

According to Evans and court records, Buetikofer is alleged to have sent a series of sexually explicit messages to the student’s phone and agreed to a meet-up on April 17 at the Yorkville McDonald’s.

About 8 p.m. Friday, law enforcement agents conducted surveillance at the restaurant, Evans said.

Buetikofer arrived alone in a rental vehicle, entered the restaurant and bought food before he was arrested in the parking lot “following a brief struggle with officers,” Evans said.

Officers searched Buetikofer’s vehicle, where they found alcohol, what appeared to be a sex toy and a blanket covering the windows, Evans said.

The investigation into Buetikofer remains ongoing, Evans said.

Evans said protecting children is a “shared obligation across our entire society.”

“It requires adults to listen, to recognize warning signs, to take concerns seriously and to act quickly when a child may be at risk,” Evans said.

In Buetikofer’s case, students came forward, families cooperated, school officials acted and detectives followed the evidence, Evans said.

“That collective response mattered and it helped bring this case to where it is today,” Evans said.