Trial Delayed Until December for Sex Predator Accused of Being in School Zone

EVERGREEN PARK, IL -- A courtroom full of witnesses showed up for what was to be the bench trial for a convicted sex offender, who is accused of being in a school zone in violation of the state’s sex offender registration laws, only to have the trial delayed until December.

According to the charges, neighbors recognized 45-year-old Donald Leib from the Illinois Sex Offender Registry attending the Queen of Martyrs parish carnival in Evergreen Park on Sept. 26, 2015 and reported his presence to police. The annual carnival is a major parish fundraiser for the church and elementary school.

Leib, of the 10300 block of South Albany Avenue in Mt. Greenwood, was charged with violating his sex offender registration by being in a school zone. Illinois Sex Offender Registry forbids sex offenders from being present or within 500 feet of children in school zones.

Tuesday was to have been the first day of Leib’s bench trial before Cook County Judge Kerry Kennedy. His attorney, Jack Rimland, told the judge “they were in negotiations” with the prosecutor to dismiss charges against his client.

“We’re not negotiating,” Judge Kennedy said.

Rimland then asked Judge Kennedy for a continuance because one of the defense’s key witnesses, a Queen of Martyrs parish employee, was recovering from surgery.

“The witness is integral to the defence,” Rimland said. “We need to make arrangements to get her here.”

Judge Kennedy gathered the attorneys and witnesses. He told them all to pick a new date.

Prosecutor Maureen Renno told the judge she anticipates calling seven witnesses, including Chicago and Evergreen Park police officers, and neighbors attending the carnival.

The Queen of Martyrs pastor, Edward Mikolajczyk, and school principal, Kathleen Tomaszewski, were also present in court and reportedly subpoenaed by the defense.

One of the witnesses, a Chicago police officer, took umbrage to the delay. “This just goes on and on and on,” he told the judge.

The new trial date is Dec. 5.

“It’s still going to be a bench trial, right,” Judge Kennedy asked.

“Yes,” Rimland said.

Leib is listed as a sexual predator in the Illinois Sex Offender Registry, with past convictions for child abduction and luring, and indecent solicitation of a child in 2008. Leib was 37 and his victim was 12 at the time of the offense.

Photo: Donald Leib, 45 | Illinois Sex Offender Registry