West Beverly Man, A Former Teacher, Sexually Assaulted Teen: Cops

CHICAGO — A West Beverly man turned himself into Lemont police Tuesday after learning that he was under investigation for having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-student he taught at Joliet Central High School, police said. Thomas Connelly, 32, appeared before Cook County Judge Donald Havis on a felony charge of criminal sexual assault.

The charges come after an investigation by Lemont Police discovered a series of incidents starting in March 2017. The prosecutor said the 16-year-old girl was in Connelly’s physics class. Connelly was also the girl’s coach on the high school's robotics team.

The two began communicating through texts and on social media, the prosecutor said. Connelly allegedly picked the girl up in the alley behind her home. The prosecutor said Connelly and the teen would drive back to his Lemont apartment in the 300 block of Short Street, where he was living at the time.

The two would engage in sexual intercourse, the prosecutor said. Other times they met at a local Red Roof Inn or would have sex in Connelly’s car, according to the complaint. Connelly is also said to have provided the teen with marijuana. The relationship is believed to have ended in July 2017.

In November 2018, a staff member at Joliet Central overheard the teen discussing the relationship with some other students. The staff member told school administrators, and Connelly was placed on administrative leave while both Joliet and Lemont police departments investigated, Lemont police said in a news release. He has no prior criminal background.

Connelly’s attorney told the judge that his client surrendered his Illinois teaching certificates over the winter. He currently resides in West Beverly where he was raised, attending Brother Rice High School and serving in the Peace Corps. Connelly is now employed in a ride-share company’s corporate office in downtown Chicago.

“This isn’t any type of forced situation,” Connelly’s attorney said. “He is not in contact with children.”

The judge set bail at $10,000 with pre-trial monitoring. Connelly is due back in court June 27 in Bridgeview.

Joliet Township High School District 204 also issued a statement confirming that the superintendent's office received allegations of misconduct back in November.

The District 204 statement indicated that Connelly was put on paid suspension and school officials notified the Joliet Police about the matter, and the investigation was ultimately handled by the Lemont Police Department.

D204 Superintendent Cheryl McCarthy indicated that Connelly was asked to appear before district officials in January for questioning but chose to submit his letter of resignation effective Jan. 15.

"After receiving the letter of resignation, JTHS filed an Educator Misconduct Report with the Illinois State Board of Education," the school district's statement read. "JTHS officials have cooperated with police throughout the investigation, and have learned today that Mr. Connelly has been arrested and charged with one count of criminal sexual assault. JTHS will continue to cooperate with the Lemont Police Department, State's Attorney, and Illinois State Board of Education in this matter.

"As always, the safety of our students is our top priority."

~ Patch editors Lorraine Swanson and John Ferak contributed to this report.