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Prosecutors want to revoke bond for former teacher

Lake County prosecutors say they want to revoke bail for a former Gavin Elementary District 37 teacher who is accused of sexually assaulting two former students.

Prosecutors will ask Judge Daniel Shanes on Thursday to hold Michael Vucic without bail while he awaits trial, said Cynthia Vargas, spokeswoman for the Lake County state's attorney's office.

Vucic, 41, of the 100 block of East Laurel Avenue in Lake Forest, is held in Lake County jail on $10 million bail, Vargas said. He could be released from jail if he posts $1 million, the required 10 percent of the bail amount, she said.

Should he post bail, prosecutors are concerned Vucic would try to leave the country, like he did in August after an arrest warrant was issued for him, Vargas said.

Vucic was taken into custody in Bosnia-Herzegovina in Europe about three weeks later, but he fought extradition to the United States to stand trial, she said.

“We went to great lengths to bring him back from Bosnia,” Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim said Monday. “Right now, there is potential for him to post bond. We want to make sure he does not pose a threat to the Lake County community.”

A former teacher at Gavin South Middle School in Ingleside, Vucic faces 52 total charges he sexually assaulted and videotaped two victims under the age of 13 — one in 2012 and another in 2007.

Authorities said Vucic was 39 when he began engaging in sex acts with one of his students in 2012. He had been her social studies teacher and yearbook adviser, authorities said.

The victim told her grandparents about Vucic, authorities said, and the grandparents called police. However, before authorities could issue an arrest warrant, Vucic left the country.

During the investigation, authorities said a teacher came forward with a plastic bag containing more than 20 videotapes and thumb drives of Vucic with the victims. The teacher told authorities she was asked to destroy the tapes, authorities said.

The videos contained evidence of the second victim, authorities said. Police said they contacted the second victim, who told police she had sexual contact with Vucic in 2007, when she was 14.

If Vucic is found guilty on the most serious charges, he could be sentenced to 60 years in prison per victim.

He is due to be arraigned on all 52 charges Jan. 29.

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