Hultgren Fires Aide After Alleged Sexual Encounter With Teen Boy

MCHENRY, IL – U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren has fired his top aide, Nick Provenzano, months after the 56-year-old man allegedly had a sexual encounter with teenager he met on the popular gay dating app, Grindr, according to media reports. Authorities in McHenry say Provenzano and the 17-year-old boy were found in an SUV on a dead-end road in McHenry at about 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 21. The driver, who was later identified as Provenzano, did not have his shirt on.

When police questioned Provenzano, he said they were "just hanging out" and "talking about life," according to a redacted McHenry Police Department incident report posted on Poltico. He told officers the acts between him and the 17-year-old boy were consensual in nature and "that nobody forced or coerced each other to engage in any acts they did not want to."

Provenzano told authorities the teen's age came up as 18 in the Grindr app. The age of consent in Illinois is 17. Authorities in McHenry investigated the incident but did not press any charges.

Provenzano was placed on leave late Wednesday after Hultgren’s office learned of the incident, a Hultgren spokesman told Patch. He was fired on Monday.

Provenzano served as the deputy district director for the 14th Congressional District. He is a former McHenry County Board member and served on the board for 12 years. In 2010, Provenzano served as a campaign manager for Joe Walsh, according to his LinkedIn page.

Randy Hultgren, a Republican, is running unopposed in Tuesday's primary election. There are seven Democrats vying for their party's nomination Tuesday with the hopes of unseating Hultgren this fall.

The 14th Congressional District includes all or parts of Batavia, Geneva, Campton Hills, Oswego, Naperville, Yorkville, Plano, Huntley, Woodstock, McHenry, Sycamore, Lindenhurst, and Antioch.

Photo via Congressman Randy Hultgren's Facebook page