Lake County Gazette

Lake County Sheriff's detectives arrested a Gurnee-area teacher on May 15 for allegedly disseminating child pornography.

"This is a despicable crime—especially when committed by someone entrusted to be a positive influence on our youth," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said, according to a news release. Idleburg emphasized that the actions of one individual do not reflect the thousands of hardworking, dedicated teachers and educators in the community. He also reminded parents of the importance of monitoring their children's communications and regularly discussing the dangers of social media and the internet.

According to the news release, sheriff's detectives received a tip from a social media company indicating that one of its users may have shared child pornography with another platform user. The investigation led detectives to identify a residence in the 300 block of Buckingham Drive, Grayslake, as the likely source. A search warrant was obtained for this location, leading to a search conducted with the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Detectives recovered the device believed to have been used to share child pornography.

The suspect was identified as Todd R. Fowler, 47, residing at the Grayslake address. According to the release, Fowler was employed as a teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Gurnee. The investigation suggested that Fowler not only possessed and disseminated child pornography but also took photos posted by area students on social media and shared them with pedophiles nationwide. A forensic examination of electronics is ongoing.

The Lake County State's Attorney's Office approved charges against Fowler for disseminating and possessing child pornography. Additional charges may follow pending results from the electronic forensic examination. The State's Attorney's Office planned to file a petition for Fowler's detention while awaiting trial.

The sheriff's office urged parents to speak with their children about any possible communication with Fowler or if they might be victims. Parents are encouraged to contact sheriff's detectives at 847-377-4000 if they have concerns. The Woodland School District cooperated throughout the investigation, and assistance was provided by the Kenosha Police Department through its Electronic Detection K9 unit, Iris. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.