A College of Lake County employee charged with the indecent solicitation of two Wauconda High School students has been ordered detained until trial by a Lake County Judge on Friday afternoon.
Adam C. Faulkner, 42, of the 700 block of Nantucket Way in Island Lake, is charged with two counts each of Solicitation of Child Sexual Abuse Material, grooming, and Indecent Solicitation of a Child, said Wauconda Police Public Information Officer Heather Cognac.
If found guilty of the most serious solicitation charges, Faulkner could be sentenced up to 30 years in prison on each count.
Faulkner was ordered detained in jail on the charges by Lake County Circuit Court Judge Michael Nerheim pending his trial.
Assistant Lake County States Attorney Liz Cannon said a phone recovered by police was linked to a Snapchat account where the user was purchasing photos of women performing sex acts on each other.
Cannon said in court that numerous pieces of evidence link Faulkner to the second phone before calling the behavior “shocking and egregious.”
“He is a clear and present danger to any minor children,” Cannon added.
Cannon and Nerheim said Faulkner also has at least three charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and three orders of protection in Lake and Kane counties. At least one of the DUI charges that spans back to 2015 is for aggravated DUI, court records show.
Cannon said the case remains under investigation and additional charges are possible.
Faulkner is officially an employee of the College of Lake County (CLC) but has been assigned to work as a college and career navigator at Wauconda High School, authorities said.
Cognac said the Wauconda Police Department was made aware of allegations of inappropriate conduct involving a CLC staff member and students on April 16.
She said the staff member, later identified as Faulkner, was immediately placed on leave the same day the department began an investigation.
Wauconda Police investigators, with assistance from Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Electronics K9 Enzo, and Island Lake Police Department, executed a residential search warrant on April 23 in connection with the investigation, Cognac said.
During the search, Cognac said evidence was recovered indicating that Faulkner engaged in the grooming and indecent solicitation of two female Wauconda High School students.
Faulkner was taken into custody on Thursday following a traffic stop for driving on a revoked license just before the execution of the search warrant.
“Crimes involving children are among the most serious we investigate,” Wauconda Police Chief David Wermes said. “We will pursue this case aggressively and work to ensure that anyone responsible is held fully accountable.”
Parents and guardians are urged to speak with their students about any potential interaction with Faulkner and to come forward with any information by contacting the Wauconda Police Department Investigations Division at (847) 865-0399.
Court records show Faulkner was charged with Driving under the Influence of Alcohol in 2012, then twice with Aggravated Driving under the Influence of Alcohol in 2015. The second 2015 charge also indicates this was Faulkner’s third DUI charge, court records show.
Faulkner is featured in a CLC staff biography on the CLC website on Friday, where he described himself as a proud Lake County native and Carmel High School graduate.
He added he “pursued my passion for education by earning a degree in History, Secondary Education from Appalachian State University (’06), followed by a Master’s in Education from North Carolina State University (’10).”
He added he spent nearly 15 years working as a paraprofessional and Special Education teacher in Lake County, and was dedicated to helping students succeed in and out of the classroom.
“My goal is to support students in finding educational pathways that align with their passions, goals, and future success,” he said.
Cognac said during the investigation that police worked with the high school and officials from CLC.
“District 118 will continue to partner with the Wauconda Police Department throughout this process, and we appreciate the diligent efforts of the police department as they conduct their investigation,” Wauconda Community Unit School District #118 said on social media Friday.
“The district wants to be as transparent as possible while maintaining the integrity of the police department’s investigation. Mr. Faulkner is employed by the College of Lake County and provides College and Career services at Wauconda High School,” District #118 added on social media.
CLC President Lori Suddick said in an email that the college will conduct an investigation as soon as it is permitted to do so, but added they were unable to disclose any information concerning their internal investigation of Faulkner’s alleged conduct due to the confidentiality and privacy rights of students and employees.
“The College is committed to providing a safe and healthy educational environment that is conducive to learning for all students on its campuses and on campuses where staff is assigned,” officials said.