Former Teacher Charged With Sex Crime Released On Bail

WAUKEGAN, IL — Former Lake Bluff teacher and coach Charles T. Ritz III posted bond and was released on $100,000 bail Tuesday from Lake County Jail, where he turned himself in the previous day on a single misdemeanor public indecency charge.

Ritz, 66, has been charged with exposing himself in a lewd manner "with the intent to arouse his sexual desires" at a residence in Waukegan in May 1985, according to court documents.

As part of the terms of his bail, Ritz has been ordered to stay off the premises of any schools, daycares or parks and forbidden from having any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18.

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Ritz, taught and coached in Lake Bluff School District 65 between 1975 and 1985. After leaving the district, he went on to teach for decades in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. Former students have accused him of sexual misconduct during his time as a teacher.

Last year, the Lake Bluff Police Department began an investigation based on a series of social media posts made by former students of Lake Bluff school district alleging a pattern of sexual abuse by Ritz. In the course of the probe, investigators from interviewed dozens of witnesses across the country, police said.

Lake Bluff Chief of Police David Belmonte said it was clear from the start of the investigation that the long period of time that had elapsed would present challenges.

“But those challenges did not diminish our resolve to investigate the matter and work on behalf of the victims and our entire community," Belmonte said, in an announcement of the charge. "So we could learn as much as we could about the disturbing allegations and do whatever we could to hold responsible parties strictly accountable."

The southern California district where Ritz went on to teach until last year has not established whether it ever performed a background check, according to the Orange County Register. Ritz, who later went on to be a local union president, was hired by the Fullerton Joint Union district in 1986, a year after he resigned from Lake Bluff schools instead of facing a termination hearing over sexual misconduct with students.

Although the incident allegedly occurred 32 years ago, the statute of limitations does preclude bringing charges because Ritz left the state, prosecutors said.

According to Illinois law, "the period within which a prosecution must be commenced does not include any period in which the defendant is not usually and publicly resident within this State."

Ritz's attorney Robert Deter said the statute of limitations applies in this case. For any misdemeanor offense, prosecutors must bring charges within 18 months of a alleged crime, he pointed out.

Ritz's next court appearance is scheduled for June 22 in Waukegan, when he will be formally charged and have the chance to enter a plea. He faces up to a year in county jail and two years probation if convicted.

Related:

• Ex-Lake Bluff teacher turns himself in on lewd exposure charge
• Ex-Lake Bluff teacher charged in 1985 sex crime
• Former Lake Bluff teacher investigated for sexual abuse of students

Photo Charles T. Ritz | Lake County Sherrif's Department