The freshman lacrosse coach at Hinsdale (Ill.) Central High School and teacher at Aux Sable Middle School has been arrested and charged with 11 criminal counts related to inappropriate communications and relationships with students.
According to WGN9, Alex Buetikofer was arrested on Friday following an extensive police investigation. School officials notified police about Buetikofer in March after receiving reports about concerning behavior, and they fired Buetikofer from his teaching and coaching position on March 26. Then, police posed as an underage female student to bring criminal charges.
Posing as the underage student, police texted with Buetikofer and arranged to meet up at a local McDonalds. Police said, “the conversations became increasingly sexual and highly inappropriate in nature.”
Buetikofer is facing five counts of indecent solicitation of a child, two counts of grooming, two counts of aggravated battery, and one count each of traveling to meet a child and solicitation to meet a child.
Following Buetikofer’s arrest, Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Superintendent Dr. Michael Lach released a statement. He confirmed that “District 86 ceased all association with Buetikofer last month when it learned of the allegations.”
“Alex Buetikofer was in a position of trust,” said Joliet police chief Bill Evans. “He was a teacher. He was an adult in a role of authority and responsibility over young people. Parents trust teachers to provide guidance, support, and a safe learning environment for their children. Students should be able to look at educators as people who are there to protect them, encourage them, and help them grow. Based on the investigation, trust was seriously violated in the most abhorrent fashion conceivable. When someone uses a position of authority in an attempt to create inappropriate personal relationships with students,t hat is not only unacceptable, but also a profound abuse of the trust placed in them by families, schools, and community. Conduct of this nature undermines the sense of safety that every child deserves in and around the school environment.”
