$1 Million Bail for Wredling Teacher in Child Porn Case

A DeKalb County judge on Tuesday set $1 million bail for Wredling Middle School teacher Jerome B. McCauley after his arrest a day earlier in child pornography charges, the Daily Herald reports.

McCauley, 45, is charged with five counts of possession of child pornography, and five counts of distribution of child pornography, according to authorities. He must post at least $100,000 bond to be released on the $1 million bail. The Daily Herald reported that McCauley’s next court appearance is scheduled Nov. 13, 2013.

St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 announced late Monday afternoon that it had placed the seventh-grade teacher and volleyball coach on administrative leave pending further investigation, and that McCauley has been barred from school district property.

The Daily Herald reports that McCauley faces from six to 30 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges, which exclude probation. The other charges carry penalties ranging from probation to seven years’ imprisonment.

The Kane County Chronicle reported Monday that Sycamore police arrived at McCauley’s home at 6 a.m. to execute a search warrant at his home on the 300 block of Grant Street in Sycamore. Police found digital images and videos of child pornography.

The Daily Herald quoted authorities as saying the distribution of child pornography counts against McCauley stem from his sharing the pornography over a sharing network.

District 303 Superintendent Don Schlomann told the Daily Herald that school officials do not believe any of the children depicted in the pornography were former or current Wredling Middle School students.

• More details of Tuesday’s coverage can be found in the Daily Herald’s story.

• More details about the arrest can be found in the Kane County Chronicle story.