Update: Judge Sets New Date for Davidson Sexual Abuse Case

(Update at 3:05 p.m.) A Lake County Criminal Court judge set a new status date today for the case against a former Lake Forest High School staff member charged with nine sex related crimes against two students.

Benjamin Davidson, 30, of North Chicago will return to court at 10:30 a.m. July 22 in Waukegan. Judge Raymond Collins continued the case as information is gathered by both the prosecution and defense.

Davidson remains free on $100,000 bond. He can have no contact Lake Forest High School students or staff as well as any underage persons, according to Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Ken Larue.

(Earlier on June 30) A former Lake Forest High School theater manager facing nine counts of sex related crimes against two female students makes his first appearance in Lake County Criminal Court since his bond was set June 7 at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Waukegan.

Benjamin Davidson, 30, of North Chicago, will appear at a status hearing. He has not yet been formally indicted by a Lake County Grand Jury. His name was not among those listed in the latest set of indictments Wednesday.

Davidson was arrested June 7 for criminal sexual abuse, child pornography and aggravated criminal sexual abuse by Lake Forest Police after an investigation of more than two months, according to information provided by the Lake Forest Police Department.

Davidson managed the audio visual services of the Lake Forest High School drama department supervising a staff of student volunteers. In that capacity, he “engaged in an inappropriate and illegal relationship of a sexual nature with two female students under the age of eighteen, while in a position of authority over those students,” according to the release from the Lake Forest Police.

School officials received a complaint in late March from the parent of a student, began an investigation and reported the incident to the Lake Forest Police, according to the release. Davidson, employed by the school since 2008, resigned when told of the complaint.

During the police investigation, police talked to Davidson, witnesses and potential victims as well as analyzing text messages, email, videos and photographs from a variety of digital sources, according to the release.

“These records indicate a consistent pattern of Davidson engaging in inappropriate and explicit text conversations of a sexual nature with students,” Police said in the release. “In some cases, he describes sex acts he completed with those students.”

Davidson is charged with four counts of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 Felony, there counts of child pornography, a Class 1 Felony, and two count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 Felony, according to Deputy Lake County State’s Attorney Ken Larue. The charges carry a combined sentence between 37 and 126 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

For more Lake Forest News, like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.