Teacher Tried Luring 14-Year-Old Student For Sex, Arrested At McDonald's During Joliet Police Sting: Chief

JOLIET, IL — Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans led Monday's press conference explaining how his agency's detectives busted now-fired Aux Sable Middle School gym teacher Alex Buetkofer, arresting him at a McDonald's restaurant following allegations he tried to arrange a sexual encounter with an adolescent 14-year-old student.

Over the weekend, Buetkofer was taken away in handcuffs following a Joliet police undercover sting at the fast-food restaurant in Yorkville. As a result, Buetekofer is being kept in the Kendall County Jail, not the Will County Jail in Joliet.

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The following edited remarks came from Chief Evans during Monday's press conference at Joliet City Hall:

March 13, 2026:

The Joliet Police Department was contacted by Plainfield School District 202 regarding a former PE/health teacher at Aux Sable Middle School on Joliet’s far west side.

School administrators reported concerns involving the teacher’s conduct toward multiple female students. These concerns included inappropriate after-class interactions, requests for personal contact information and communications that raised significant concerns about
professional boundaries.

In one reported incident, the teacher is alleged to have made nonsexual physical contact with a student following class dismissal, which caused the student to feel uncomfortable. Students recognized this behavior as inappropriate and reported it to school staff, who then immediately escalated the matter to administrators.

The teacher was identified as Alex Buetikofer, age 38, from Lisle.

As the investigation progressed, Joliet's detectives identified multiple instances in which Buetikofer allegedly tried to establish personal, non-school-related relationships with students. This included requesting phone numbers and social media accounts from female students.

Undercover Investigation April 6-17:

With the knowledge and consent of the victim’s family, Joliet police detectives conducted a text-based undercover operation in which detectives made communication via text message with Buetikofer under the guise of a student.

Buetikofer continued communicating with whom he believed to be a current female Aux Sable Middle School student. These conversations became increasingly sexual in nature and highly inappropriate. He made repeated attempts to move the conversation to other platforms, requested images, and worked to arrange a private, in-person meeting.

Throughout these exchanges, Buetikofer demonstrated clear understanding that he believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old female student.

April 17, 2026:

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant out of Kendall County charging Buetikofer with two counts of aggravated battery and one count of indecent solicitation of a child. Later that evening, under the continued guise of a student, detectives arranged a meeting with Buetikofer at a McDonald’s restaurant at 2007 Bridge Street in Yorkville.

During communication leading up to this meeting, Buetikofer expressed an intent to engage in sexual activity with whom he believed to be a 14-year-old female student in the vehicle in the parking lot. Shortly before 8 p.m. on April 17, officers and detectives from the Joliet Police Department, including members of investigations, tactical, narcotics and neighborhood policing team units, along with members of the Yorkville Police Department, conducted surveillance at the Yorkville McDonald’s.

Buetikofer arrived alone in what was later learned to be a rental vehicle and entered the business, where he purchased food as requested during the communications.

After exiting the restaurant, he was taken into custody in the parking lot following a brief struggle with officers.

Sex Toy Recovered From Buetikofer's Car: Chief Reveals

During a subsequent inspection of the vehicle, officers observed several items in plain view that were consistent with prior communications. These items included alcohol, as well as what appeared to be a sex toy on the front passenger seat. A blanket was also observed covering the windows of the vehicle. The vehicle was secured and transported to the Joliet Police Department as evidence.

Following his arrest, Buetikofer was interviewed by detectives, and he invoked his right to legal counsel.

Beutikofer was processed at the Joliet Police Department on the following criminal charges:
• Two Counts of Aggravated Battery
• Five Counts of Indecent Solicitation of a Child
• Two Counts of Grooming
• One Count of Traveling to Meet a Child
• One Count of Solicitation to Meet a Child

Following processing, Buetikofer was taken to the Kendall County Jail.

"This investigation remains active and ongoing. Detectives Espinosa and Petro are leading this case and are present here today. Before I conclude, I want to again recognize and thank our partners at Plainfield School District 202. Their action, transparency, and continued collaboration were critical in allowing this investigation to move forward quickly and effectively. I also wish to thank the Kendall County
State’s Attorney’s Office, the Kendall County Child Advocacy Center, and Yorkville Police Department for their assistance in this cas," Evans remarked.

"Alex Buetikofer was in a position of trust. He was a teacher. He was an adult placed 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 this 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, that is not only unacceptable, but also a profound abuse of the trust
placed in them by families, schools, and the community. Conduct of this nature undermines the sense of safety that every child deserves in and around the school environment.
This case goes way beyond inappropriate communication. It is about an adult who was entrusted with the care and supervision of students allegedly using that position for personal and exploitative purposes. That betrayal reaches far beyond the individual victims. It affects families, classmates, school staff, and the larger community that depends on trusted adults to do the right thing..."

During Monday's press conference, Plainfield School District 202 Superintendent Glenn Wood explained to reporters that Buetikofer was in his second full year as District 202 physical education and health teacher at Aux Sable Middle School. The school district fired him on March 25.

Buetikofer's wife filed for divorce against him last May in Will County. The couple were married in Darien in November 2017 and they had 4-year-old child at the time of the divorce, the court files show.