Child sex offender arrested at North Aurora school

A convicted sex offender was arrested outside a North Aurora elementary school after dropping off a stepchild there, police said Friday.

James M. Patterson, 33, of 322 S. Lake St., Aurora, is charged with child sex offender in a school zone, a felony, North Aurora Police Lt. Scott Buziecki said.

Patterson is accused of being in a school zone at Fearn Elementary School, 1600 Hawksley Lane, without legal permission from school officials.

Buziecki said a vigilant teacher who recognized Patterson as a sex offender spotted him dropping off a child at the school Wednesday. The teacher alerted police, who arrested Patterson about 8:20 a.m. Thursday after he again dropped off the child.

The child was out of view when Patterson was arrested, according to police.

"He was never inside the school," Buziecki said.

Patterson was convicted in 1996 of aggravated criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual assault by force. A database of Illinois sex offenders says the victim was 16 years old and Patterson was 20. Court records show he was sentenced to 18 years in prison, although it's unclear how much time was actually served.

Patterson also is awaiting trial on charges of aggravated battery of a pregnant person and other offenses. He's due in court on the school zone case Oct. 22.