Lake County Sheriff Reports Charges Against Gurnee Woodland Elementary Teacher for Child Pornography Distribution

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) — A north suburban elementary school teacher has been arrested and charged with disseminating child pornography.

Todd Fowler, a current teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Gurnee, is facing multiple charges, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.

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The sheriff’s office reported that a social media company alerted them to a device suspected of distributing child pornography on the 300 block of Buckingham Drive in Grayslake.

Fowler, 47, was arrested at the location in Grayslake, which is his residence, the sheriff said.

Fowler is facing charges of Disseminating Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. Further charges may be filed pending the investigation of his electronic device.

According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, detectives have evidence suggesting that besides possessing and sharing child pornography, Fowler also distributed photos from local students and parents, shared on social media, to pedophiles nationwide.

The suspect is expected to appear in court Friday.

“This is a despicable crime-especially when committed by someone entrusted to be a positive influence on our youth,” Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a statement. “The actions of one individual do not reflect the thousands of hardworking, dedicated teachers and educators in our community. With that, this is a reminder that it is critically important for parents to monitor who their children are communicating with and to regularly remind them about the dangers of social media and the internet.”