Crime & Safety

Former LFHS Staffer Pleads Not Guilty to 18 Sex Crimes

Judge explains sentences for at least 10 of the charges would run one after the other.

A former Lake Forest High School theater manager facing a potential 218 years in prison pled not guilty to 18 sex related crimes today at his arraignment in Lake County Criminal Court in Waukegan.

Benjamin Davidson, 30, of North Chicago is charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse, three counts of child pornography, both Class 1 felonies, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 Felony, and three counts of grooming, a Class 4 Felony, against two Lake Forest High School students.

In explaining the charges to Davidson, Judge Theodore Potkonjak told the defendant he cannot receive probation if he pleads guilty to or is convicted for criminal sexual abuse and the sentences must run consecutively.

"The best you can do is 20 years," Potkonjak said to Davidson when reviewing the charges against him. “If you are convicted the sentences must run consecutively. They would not run together.”

Should Davidson be convicted he will remain under court supervision for the rest of his life, according to Potkonjak. He would also be a registered sex offender for his remaining years after he is released.

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Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Fred Day told Potkonjak he had already given 151 pages of evidence to Davidson’s lawyer, Steven McCollum, but he had more data to review. “We still have 12 to 15 DVD’s (to see) and are in the process of copying them.”

Among other things, Davidson is charged with recording some of the things he did with the victims.

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After the arraignment, McCollum did not reveal a specific defense Davidson would offer. “We’ll be ready with witnesses and a defense,” McCollum said.

If Davidson is convicted on all counts, his maximum sentence will range from 61 to 218 years in jail.

Davidson was arrested June 7 after an investigation which began in March when a complaint was made to officials at Lake Forest High School. The school notified the police who began to gather the facts.

Potkonjak scheduled the case for trial Sept. 23. Davidson returns to court Sept. 10 for a pretrial.


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