As police were searching for a former teacher at a Joliet diocesan school who was charged with traveling to meet a child and grooming, the 44-year-old man was admitted to a hospital, and his attorney told police that he will turn himself in after his release from the hospital, the Joliet Police Department said Saturday.
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Sun-Times file
A former Catholic school teacher in the southwest suburbs has been charged after a video surfaced showing him “engaged in inappropriate communication with a minor.”
Jeremy M. Hylka was charged with traveling to meet a child and grooming after investigators were made aware of a Snapchat video that “possibly depicted inappropriate contact of an adult with a minor,” Joliet Police Lt. Joe Egizio told reporters at a new conference Friday afternoon.
He did not provide details on the contents of the video.
Detectives tracked down and interviewed the person who posted the video, Detective Sean Filipiak said. The person is a 19-year-old man who, in conjuction with a group called “Save Our Siblings,” posed as a 15-year-old when communicating with Hylka.
UpdatedSat, May 1, 2021 at 7:37 pm CT
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Joliet police held a news conference Friday to discuss their criminal investigation of Jeremy Hylka, who is charged with traveling to meet a child as well as grooming. (John Ferak/Joliet Patch )
JOLIET, IL At 4 p.m. Saturday, the Joliet Police Department issued a news release announcing that detectives have learned that Jeremy Hylka is currently admitted as a patient in a nearby hospital. Detectives have been in communication with Mr. Hylka s attorney who has indicated cooperation for Hylka to turn himself in to Joliet Police Detectives upon his release from the hospital, Joliet Police Department spokesman Dwayne English advised. As of this writing, the release date/time from the hospital is unknown.
UpdatedThu, Apr 29, 2021 at 8:45 am CT
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Jeremy Hylka had been working as a teacher at St. Joseph Catholic School in Lockport, but the Diocese of Joliet announced that he will no longer be working in that position. (Google Maps )
JOLIET, IL The Diocese of Joliet issued a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing that
Jeremy Hylka will not be returning to his positions at St. Joseph Catholic School in Lockport or St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church and the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus, both in Joliet. The Diocese of Joliet received information from various sources concerning alleged inappropriate communications with a purported minor, director of communications Mary Massingale told Joliet Patch. Civil authorities have been notified. The diocese, the school and the parishes remain committed to a safe environment for all children under our care.