Carpentersville teacher faces sex assault charges
A Carpentersville Middle School teacher is accused of sexual assault and sexual abuse of a teen between 13 and 17, according to police and court records.
Charles A. Brieger, 47, of the 400 block of Algona Avenue in Elgin, who also served as director of Elgin's Summer Theatre productions, faces a felony charge of criminal sexual assault at a place where he holds a position of trust, and three felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
The assaults took place between April 1 and May 8 in 2013, according to Kane County court records.
Brieger was arrested at his home Wednesday and released from jail Thursday after posting 10 percent of his $150,000 bail, according to a statement from Carpentersville police. He is prohibited from unsupervised contact with children while charges are pending, records show.
Carpentersville police Cmdr. Timothy Bosshart said Brieger met a 16-year-old girl in Bartlett and is accused of assaulting and abusing her in the backstage/catwalk area of the middle school. No students from the middle school are alleged to have been assaulted. Now 20, the woman contacted police May 26 and an investigation began, Bosshart said.
"District 300 has recently been made aware of the situation and we are working collaboratively with law enforcement," Superintendent Fred Heid said in a statement released by the district. "We are in the preliminary stages of the investigation and, as more information is provided, we will address it in accordance to our policy. We take all allegations very seriously, but we cannot comment on an ongoing investigation."
Brieger has been with the district for 26 years, spokesman Anthony McGinn said. He's been a cross-categorical resource teacher with a total annual salary package of $101,231 and worked in the pupil personnel services department, records show.
Heid was on vacation and unavailable for additional comment.
Brieger had been a part-time employee of the Hemmens Cultural Center for nearly 22 years, Elgin Human Resources Director Gail Cohen said. He was terminated Wednesday as soon as the city was informed of the charges, she said.
Hemmens Director Butch Wilhelmi said Brieger served as Summer Theatre director since the program was restarted in 2008. He also worked as a stagehand to provide technical support for a variety of productions and helped set up city events, such as the recent Elgin Valley Fox Trot, Wilhelmi said.
Brieger was scheduled to direct next month's production of "A Chorus Line," which the city hopes will take place as scheduled, Wilhelmi said, adding he is already looking for a replacement director.
The city is informing the people who've been involved with Summer Theatre during Brieger's tenure about Brieger's arrest, Wilhelmi said.
Summer Theatre participants typically are older than 16, Wilhelmi said, with a few exceptions such as a production of "Annie" in 2011, he said.
If convicted, Brieger faces four to 15 years in prison and must register as a sex offender. He has no previous criminal arrests in Kane County, records show. His next court appearance is Wednesday.
• Daily Herald staff writers Madhu Krishnamurthy and Elena Ferrarin contributed to this story.