Special Education Staffer Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A former paraprofessional employed by the Special Education District of Lake County has been charged with several counts of felony aggravated criminal sexual assault after he was accused of abusing a person with physical and intellectual disabilities while he was employed with SEDOL, Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim announced Tuesday.

Israel Suaste-Gonzalez, 49, of the 19000 block of Cambridge Road in unincorporated Lake County near Mundelein, was ordered held on $2 million bail following his appearance Tuesday morning in Lake County bond court, according to a news release from the state's attorney's office.

During Suaste-Gonzalez's bond court appearance, Assistant State's Attorney Russell Caskey said Suaste-Gonzalez was employed at SEDOL's Atkinson location from 2016 through 2018 as a paraprofessional while the victim was enrolled at the facility, the news release said.

The victim referred to Suaste-Gonzalez as her "teacher" during that time and claimed Suaste-Gonzalez sexually molested her multiple times at the school during his two years working with her at that location, the state's attorney's office said. The victim said she felt she was required to be involved because her "teacher" kept telling her to do so, the state's attorney's office said.

Caskey said during the bond hearing that Suaste-Gonzalez denied the allegations when first interviewed by police but later admitted to sexually abusing the student on at least five occasions. Caskey added that the victim said Suaste-Gonzalez told her to not tell anyone, officials reported.

The state's attorney's office said Suaste-Gonzalez has been charged with four counts of felony aggravated criminal sexual assault, four counts of felony criminal sexual assault and felony aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Should Suaste-Gonzalez be able to post the required 10 percent of the bail imposed by Lake County Associate Judge Paul Novak, he is ordered to have no contact with the victim, SEDOL or any children under the age of 18, the news release said. Suaste-Gonzalez is also ordered to avoid all places where children may be present, including schools, parks or day cares, and is not allowed to have any contact with work sites where students from SEDOL may be placed, the news release added.

Suaste-Gonzalez will also remain on a 24-hour curfew and not consume any drugs or alcohol, if his bond is posted, according to the news release.

"Adults who sexually assault or abuse people with intellectual or physical disabilities and children are among the absolute worst offenders we see through our office," Nerheim said in the news release. "Our hearts go out to the victim and the family. We applaud her courage in coming forward."

Nerheim said the Grayslake Police Department did "an outstanding job" with the investigation.

"This case is another example of the great working relationship our Lake County Children's Advocacy Center has with our law enforcement partners," Nerheim said in the news release.

Patch will update this story as new information becomes available.