Chicago-area teacher accused of sharing child porn, student photos with pedophiles ordered detained

Gurnee teacher accused of sharing child porn, student photos ordered detained

A Chicago-area elementary school teacher arrested for allegedly sharing child pornography online and distributing photos of local students to pedophiles nationwide was ordered held in custody by a judge on Friday.

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - A Gurnee elementary school teacher arrested for allegedly sharing child pornography online and distributing photos of local students to pedophiles nationwide was ordered held in custody by a judge on Friday.

What we know:

Detectives with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested Todd R. Fowler, 47, of Grayslake on Thursday after receiving a tip from a social media company.

The tip led investigators to a home in the 300 block of Buckingham Drive, where they executed a search warrant and recovered an electronic device they believe Fowler used to share child pornography.

Fowler is a teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Gurnee. According to investigators, he also collected photos of area students—originally posted by the students or their parents on social media—and shared those images with pedophiles nationwide.

He is currently facing charges of disseminating and possessing child pornography. Additional charges could follow once investigators fully review the electronic device they recovered.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not said how many students may have been affected or how long the alleged activity may have been going on. They also haven’t disclosed which social media platform flagged the content.

What they're saying:

"This is a despicable crime—especially when committed by someone entrusted to be a positive influence on our youth," said Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg.

He continued, "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."

Woodland D50 School District Supt. Robert Machak released the following statement:

"Student safety is always the district’s top priority, and Woodland is fully cooperating with the police in their investigation. Additionally, the teacher has been placed on administrative leave while we work through the proper police and administrative channels. Fowler has been employed by Woodland since 2019 after successfully completing a criminal background check.

"According to the LCSO, this is an active investigation, and there may be additional victims. If you need support talking with your child about this incident, please contact the social worker at your child’s school or contact the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center.

"If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. While I cannot provide information that would interfere with the investigation underway, I am ready to listen to any concerns you may have and answer questions to the best of my ability."

Following Fowler's detainment, Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart released a statement.

"Thank you to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Cyber Division for their fantastic investigation that led to the capture of this offender, who was charged with multiple counts of child pornography, and was detained without the ability to post cash bail. This is what bail reform looks like – a community that does not allow dangerous offenders access to children because they have cash. The community deserves real conversations about our justice system that is not polluted with constant misinformation. Bail reform is protecting children."

What's next:

Fowler was denied pre-trial release on Friday during his court appearance and is being held in the Lake County Jail. 

Woodland School District has been working with investigators, according to the sheriff’s office.

Detectives are encouraging parents to talk to their children and reach out if they believe they may have interacted with Fowler or may be victims. The sheriff’s office can be reached at 847-377-4000.