Friday, November 2, 2012
Victim was under 13 at time of offense, police say.
Donald Berthiaume, 41, of the 2500 Block of Fish Hook Way in Wauconda was arrested on Oct. 31, for two counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse. The victim, who was under the age of 13 at the time of the offense, reported to Lakemoor Police Department that in 2005 Berthiaume had inappropriate sexual contact with her when she was a juvenile. Lakemoor Police Department requested the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division to investigate the incident. Berthiaume is a 13 year veteran of the Wauconda Fire Department. Berthiaume’s jail bond was set at $50,000.00. He was released from custody after posting 10 percent of the required bond. This news release was provided by the Lake County Sheriff's …
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Pre-trial hearing on 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse of two students was held today in Lake County Circuit Court.
Ronald D. Culver, at his pre-trial hearing in 19th District Lake County Circuit Court today, requested being taken off his nightly 6 p.m. bond curfew to gain employment. Culver, 51, of 915 W. Blackburn Drive, Inverness, is charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of two Lake Zurich High School students, according to court records. The charges are a Class 2 felony. The students' identities and genders are being protected. Circuit Court Judge Daniel B. Shanes denied the request, but agreed to allow pre-trial bond services to give Culver flexibility in his curfew "as long as he was at his job in the theater," said Shanes. Culver, a former English and drama teacher at Lake Zurich High School, is seeking employment in the …
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Attorney's request to reduce bond, denied; 10 percent of $250,000 posted.
Ronald D. Culver, former English and drama teacher at Lake Zurich High School, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty of 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse of two students, said Fred Day, assistant Lake County state's attorney. The Lake County Circuit Court grand jury, at Culver's Dec. 1 arraignment, found Culver guilty on "multiple counts with regard to two different victims," said Day. A few days after the original felony charge against him on Nov. 1, a second student contacted Lake Zurich police also claiming sexual abuse by Culver, Kevin Finlon, Lake Zurich police commander said. The age and gender of both students will not be released. Culver, 51, of 985 Blackburn Driver, Inverness, posted $24,000 in addition to the previous $1,000 he …
Monday, November 29, 2010
Lake Zurich police say Ronald Culver now faces 10 counts against him.
A second Lake Zurich High School student is accusing Ronald D. Culver, former drama teacher at the school, of criminal sexual abuse, Lake Zurich police Cmdr. Kevin Finlon said. Culver, 51, of 985 Blackburn Drive, Inverness, now faces a total of 10 counts against him. The second incident occurred "a bit longer ago," but sometime also this year, Finlon said. The age or gender of the student will not be released. The second student contacted the Lake Zurich Police Department a few days after the original felony charge Nov. 1, Finlon said. Two Lake Zurich police detectives have been working on the case since the student filed a report with police. Culver will be arraigned on the additional nine charges at 9 a.m. Dec. 1 at the Lake County …
42.193997
-88.086754
Lake Zurich Police Department
200 Mohawk Trl, Lake Zurich, IL
/articles/police-say-second-student-abused-by-culver
1303166
/locations/2575781
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Former Lake Zurich High School drama teacher's preliminary hearing on sexual abuse charge won't happen until December.
Ronald D. Culver's preliminary hearing on a charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a Lake Zurich High School student has been moved to 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 9, according to Lake County Circuit Court records. The hearing was originally scheduled at 9 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 18. Culver, 51, of Inverness, posted $1,000 of his $10,000 bond on the charge to the Lake Zurich Police on Tuesday, Nov. 2, one day after he was arrested. Through an order prepared by Culver's criminal law attorney Stephen Simonian of Waukegan, additional terms for the bond and the revised hearing date were set in Lake County 19th District Judicial Circuit Court on Thursday, Nov. 4 t. Terms of the bond include that Culver may not have contact with children …
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
School District 95, Lake Zurich Police Department officials hold press conference about criminal sexual abuse charges against former teacher.
The identity of the student victim who reported criminal sexual abuse by former Lake Zurich High School drama and English teacher Ronald D. Culver, will remain protected by District 95 officials and Lake Zurich police, they said at a 2 p.m. press conference at District 95 headquarters. "We are very protective of the victim because they were violated by someone that was put in a position of trust. That student is going to be carrying a lot of baggage for the rest of their life," said Patrick M. Finlon, chief of Lake Zurich Police Department. Culver was charged with aggravated criminal abuse, a class 2 felony on Monday, Nov. 1, according to police reports. The act of sexual conduct he committed is defined by the Illinois Criminal Code, 720 …
42.1918
-88.087079
Lake Zurich School District 95 Administration Center
400 S Old Rand Rd, Lake Zurich, IL
/articles/identity-of-student-victim-to-remain-protected
297301
/locations/2351352
42.20321
-88.08705
Lake Zurich High School
300 Church St, Lake Zurich, IL
/articles/identity-of-student-victim-to-remain-protected
296892
/locations/2351353
Student reported incident on Thursday, Oct. 28, and teacher resigned from his position.
Ronald D. Culver, 51, former Lake Zurich High School drama teacher, was charged Monday, Nov. 1, with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a felony, stemming from an incident involving a district student, according to the Lake Zurich Police Department. The Lake County State's Attorney's Office reviewed the incident on Monday, Nov. 1, and approved a charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 Felony, against Culver, Lake Zurich police reports said. His bond was set at $10,000. Culver, of 985 Blackburn Drive, Inverness, faces a possible sentence of 3–7 years in prison and/or a fine not to exceed $25,000, according to Lake Zurich police. Aggravating circumstances, as are present in this incident, may extend sentencing guidelines. Culver…
42.20321
-88.08705
Lake Zurich High School
300 Church St, Lake Zurich, IL
/articles/police-charge-former-high-school-drama-teacher-with-sexual-abuse
296892
/locations/2342462
child40
8:23 am on Friday, November 19, 2010
Did anyone tell the victim their identity was being protected? They texted all weekend who they were and what was going to happen "at school" over the next few days. These were very serious and far reaching charges. They need to be respected by all involved. Police Chief Finlon's comments have Culver convicted of this crime. I prefer to wait until all the facts are presented before passing … more ›