MADISON COUNTY.– A 25-year-old Mt. Vernon High School math teacher has been arrested Wednesday night in Troy, Illinois, on charges of indecent solicitation of a child and grooming.
(Source: MVPD)
According to police, the charges against Kevin W. Battas stem from and investigation conducted by the Troy Police Department during the past month.The investigation showed that Battas used an anonymous social media app to meet the child.
During the course of the investigation it was determined that Battas met the child using Whisper, an anonymous social media app.
“Smart phones and social media apps have created new avenues for predators to contact and solicit children,” stated Troy Police Chief Brad Parsons. “As parents we need to be aware of what our children are doing on their phones and who they are communicating with. We’re lucky that in this case we were able to intervene before any of the acts could be carried out.”
The investigation further revealed that Battas committed Indecent Solicitation of a Child because he knowingly discussed an act of sexual conduct with a minor and offered to perform sexual acts upon the minor.
The solicitation of the minor was done using a smart phone or similar device so Battas was also charged with Grooming. Indecent Solicitation of a Child is a Class 3 felony punishable by between two years and five years in prison.
Grooming is a Class 4 felony punishable by between one and 3 years in prison. Battas is being held at the Madison County Jail with bail set at $150,000.
According to the Mt. Vernon Police Department, there is no indication any children in the Jefferson County area having been involved with Battas. However, they encourage the public to contact the Mt Vernon Police Department or Mt Vernon High School if there are any concerns of inappropriate behaviors by Battas.
The Mt Vernon Police Department can be reached at 242-2131 and the Mt Vernon High School can be reached at 244-3700. Additionally, you can leave anonymous tips through the Mt Vernon High School Cyber Tipline at 1-800-843-5678.
Dr. Mike Smith, superintendent of Mt. Vernon Township High School released a statement on the school’s website Thursday, saying the district was informed Thursday that a current employee Kevin Battas was arrested on February 3rd for indecent solicitation of a child and grooming of an individual outside of the immediate Mt. Vernon area.
The statement says that while there is no indication that students or children in Jefferson County have been involved, upon receiving this information, the district has initiated its own internal investigation related to this matter.
As part of this investigation, the district has secured all school related technology devices and access of this individual. The district has also initiated a third party audit of all technology related activities of this individual since the beginning of the school year.