Former teacher pleads guilty to soliciting child

A former teacher at Mundelein High School was placed on 30 months' probation Thursday after admitting he asked a student to send him lewd photos of herself.

Scott Lempa, 34, pleaded guilty to solicitation of child pornography during a hearing before Circuit Judge George Bridges.

Assistant State's Attorney Mary Stanton said Lempa, of 2016 Clematis Drive, Algonquin, was in his 12th year of teaching math at the school when he was arrested Feb. 27.

Police said school officials notified Mundelein police they suspected an inappropriate relationship between Lempa and a 17-year-old girl in one of his classes.

School officials turned over several text messages between the two, some of which featured Lempa asking the girl for photographs of herself.

Police interviewed the girl ,and she admitted she had sent Lempa several photographs of herself in various stages of undress that she had taken herself with digital and cell phone cameras.

Lempa was placed on administrative leave after his arrest and agreed to surrender his teaching license Thursday as part of his plea agreement.

He also agreed to forfeit his computer to the Mundelein Police Department and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and to perform 100 hours of community service.

Stanton said Lempa could have faced up to five years in prison if convicted after a trial.