Cary Man, Ex-D300 Employee Faces January Trial On Sex Charges

CARY, IL —A 35-year-old Cary resident and former employee of the District 300 school system faces a January trial after pleading not guilty to charges alleging that he solicited a child for sexually explicit images.

Donald J. Peters was indicted on felony charges including child pornography, grooming, and two charges of luring, according to court records filed earlier this month in McHenry County. Peters pleaded not guilty in a hearing on Friday when a McHenry County judge ordered that Peters return to court in January to face the charges.

In the criminal complaint against Peters filed by prosecutors, Peters is accused of soliciting, enticing or coercing a juvenile that he is alleged to know to appear in any stage play, live presentation, film video or other visual image in which the child — alleged to be under the age of 13 – was depicted as being involved in lewd behavior.

The complaint alleges that Peters – who previously worked as an attendance secretary for District 300 – used a device capable of electronic data storage or written communication to “seduce, solicit, lure or entice” the juvenile to distribute photographs of the child’s private parts, according to documents.

The indictment accuses Peters of luring a juvenile victim under the age of 15 for unlawful purposes, prosecutors allege.

The charges mark the second time this year Peters has faced criminal charges after he was previously charged with child pornography charges involving a child under the age of 13 as well as electronic harassment, obscene proposal, cyberstalking, and two counts of intimidation.

Peters pleaded not guilty to those charges in September.

Peters is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 4 on the charges for which he could face multiple prison sentences that would be served consecutively as well as a fine of up to $100,000. If convicted, Peters would also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

Peters recently worked as an attendance and truancy assistant at Westfield Community School for nearly five years, according to his LinkedIn.