Trinity Christian School Science Teacher Jailed on Child Grooming Charge

SHOREWOOD, IL — A Trinity Christian School science teacher was jailed on a charge of grooming Friday afternoon.

Lemuel Elechicon, 51, was arrested by the Shorewood police. Shorewood Deputy Police Chief Jason Barten said information on Elechion’s arrest would be made available later Friday.

The crime of grooming involves using electronic means such as the internet in an attempt to “seduce, solicit, lure, or entice” a child, according to state law.

Besides teaching science, Elechicon is a sixth-grade sponsor at the school in Shorewood, according to Trinity Christian’s website. Elechicon also has an Educator Pages page that says he teaches creation through “Biblical glasses” as part of his science course.

“You will learn a solid creation-based worldview and that, contrary to popular belief, operational science runs counter to the idea of evolution and ‘millions of years,’” Elechicon says of his creationism curriculum. “The facts of nature, rightly interpreted, provide an irrefutable case for the accuracy and trustworthiness of the book that claims to be the inspired word of the Creator Himself!”

Elechicon’s page said he was born in the Philippines and came to America with his family when he was in the sixth grade.

“By faith, Christ saved me from my sins when I was in high school,” Elechicon said on his page.

Elechicon’s page says he attended Bible school in Iowa. He now lives in Crest Hill and attends Ridgewood Baptist Church in Joliet, the page said, and he is “currently involved in the junior high school and high school youth group” there.

Calls made to Trinity Christian School for comment on Elechicon’s arrest were not returned.

Elechicon was scheduled to appear in court Saturday morning.

Lemuel Elechicon | image via Will County Sheriff's Department