Jeremy Hylka Agrees To Let Court Monitor His Whereabouts

JOLIET, IL — It's been more than a year-and-a-half since Jeremy Hylka, the Catholic school teacher for Lockport's St. Joseph Grade School, ran from the Joliet McDonald's on West Jefferson Street where he went to meet an underage boy for a sexual encounter, according to Joliet police detectives.

After video of Hylka running from the McDonald's was posted on social media, Joliet police opened their investigation, leading to the filing of five criminal charges including grooming and traveling to meet a minor. The Diocese of Joliet got rid of Hylka as a teacher. At the time, after several years of teaching at Joliet Catholic Academy, Hylka was in his first school year teaching at the St. Joseph Grade School in Lockport.

On Friday, Hylka appeared in front of Will County Judge Ken Zelazo accompanied by Plainfield attorney John Paul Ivec, who has represented Hylka since charges were filed in May 2021.

Hylka spent about three hours in Zelazo's courtroom Friday. The former Joliet Catholic Academy teacher signed court records indicating Hylka was agreeing to be placed under GPS monitoring and home confinement monitoring by the Will County courts at his current address in the 2200 block of West Acres Road in Joliet. "Defendant shall remain at home ... except he is allowed to leave for work, court, medical appointments, church and supervised visitation with his children."

Joliet Patch reported last year that following Hylka's arrest, his wife filed for divorce against him and also filed an emergency order of protection against him, that was granted by a judge.

According to Friday's court order, Hylka agreed to pay Will County $97.50 every two weeks for costs associated with the electronic monitoring system.

Judge Zelazo set Hylka's next pretrial court hearing for the morning of Jan. 27.

Related Patch coverage:

Jeremy Hylka Criminal Indictment Revealed: It's 5 Felonies