Bus Driver For Pre-K Students Charged With Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material: Police

HUNTLEY, IL — A 43-year-old Huntley Community School District 158 bus driver who parents say transported preschool students faces 10 felony charges after investigators allegedly discovered child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, authorities said.

Jon M. Roth, of the 9800 block of Williams Drive, was charged with 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material involving victims younger than 13, all Class 2 felonies, according to the Huntley Police Department.

Subscribe

Huntley Community School District 158 Superintendent Jessica Lombard confirmed Roth's employment in a letter sent to staff and families Wednesday, stating he had been immediately removed from his duties and placed on leave pending the investigation, according to Lake and McHenry County Scanner. Roth is also prohibited from entering district property or attending district events, Lombard said.

"We have no information indicating that the materials related to the arrest pertain to any Huntley 158 student, nor do we have any reason to believe that to be the case," Lombard said in the letter.

The superintendent also said a bus aide assigned to Roth's bus had never reported any concerning conduct.

An investigation began after the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided Huntley police with information obtained through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The information involved a phone number registered to someone in Huntley that was allegedly being used to upload suspected child sexual abuse material to a cloud-based online storage service, police said.

Detectives with the Huntley Police Department's Investigations Division launched an investigation that led them to identify Roth as a suspect, authorities said. On Tuesday, Huntley police detectives and investigators with the Illinois Attorney General's Office executed a search warrant at Roth's home in the 9800 block of Williams Drive.

The operation also involved assistance from Illinois State Police and Detective Jeff Winiarski of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Police Department, along with Maui, an electronic storage detection K-9 trained to locate devices that may contain digital evidence.

He was subsequently taken into custody based on evidence obtained during the search.

Huntley Police Deputy Chief Kevin Keane also confirmed to Lake and McHenry County Scanner that Roth previously worked as a paramedic but is not currently employed in that role. A LinkedIn profile confirmed by Keane lists previous employment with several fire departments and ambulance services, although the dates of his employment have not been independently verified.

Roth was taken to the McHenry County Jail pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Huntley Police Department at 847-515-5311. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the department's tip line at 847-515-5333.