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Attorney: Teacher didn't believe colleague's sex abuse claims

Michael Vucic told another Gavin South Middle School teacher about his sexual relationship with a student, but the female colleague didn't report it because Vucic had a reputation for “tall tales,” her attorney said Tuesday.

Gavin Elementary District 37 documents obtained by the Daily Herald say former teacher April Courtney, 37, admitted to officials that Vucic told her sometime in 2013 he had sex with an unidentified minor student, but Courtney did not report it to authorities or administrators. The documents, obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, also state Vucic told Courtney in April 2014 he had sex-based communication via social media with the student, but she didn't report that either.

Courtney did not act because Vucic often told “tall tales” to colleagues, defense attorney Barry Lewis of Chicago said. However, Lewis stressed she cooperated with police after she learned the truth.

“If my client believed this stuff, she would have reported it to authorities in an instant,” he said. “In hindsight, it's obvious she should have believed what she was told.”

Courtney and former Gavin teachers John Keehan, 40, of Elgin, and Michael Lanners, 38, of Lake Villa, have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of failing to report suspected child abuse. If found guilty, they could each be sentenced up to one year in prison.

Vucic, 41, of the 100 block of East Laurel Avenue in Lake Forest, is being held in Lake County jail without bail on more than 50 counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, aggravated child pornography, criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 17 and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He is accused of having sexual relations with two students.

If found guilty on the most serious charges, he could be sentenced to up to 120 years in prison.

Vucic has pleaded not guilty.

The allegations surfaced when one victim told family members Aug. 25, 2014, she had sexual contact with Vucic at the Ingleside school several times in 2012, authorities said.

The 18-year instructor at Gavin South fled to Bosnia-Herzegovina in Europe on Aug. 26, three days before being charged, authorities said. He remained hidden for about three weeks before being captured in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on Sept. 19. He fought extradition to the U.S. for about three months.

District 37 documents show Courtney and Keehan were placed on administrative leave Sept 24 and fired Oct. 14 for not reporting the suspected abuse to authorities and administrators as required by law.

Lanners has not been a teacher at Gavin since 2002, but officials in Mundelein Elementary District 75 where he worked said he was placed on administrative leave and later fired because of the Vucic situation.

All three have been released from police custody after paying the required 10 percent of their $5,000 bail.

According to his dismissal papers, Keehan admitted Vucic told him he was engaged in a sexual relationship with a former student who was a minor. The documents state Keehan didn't report the comment, but they do not indicate the timing.

Keehan's defense attorney, Doug Zeit, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Lewis said Courtney turned over evidence involving Vucic to authorities after she learned he was telling the truth.

“She was handed the CDs or DVDs by Vucic. She looked at the names on them, then took them straight to the police,” he said. “That tells you about her character; the second she had hard evidence of what happened, she turned it right over to police. She's a good person, and it's not fair to judge someone in hindsight.”

Prosecutors say the videos contained evidence of Vucic sexually assaulting a student in a classroom in 2012, as well the earlier assault of another victim. Prosecutors also allege Vucic left specific instructions for friends to destroy the contents should he die or be arrested.

Vucic's trial is scheduled for April 13. Keehan is due in court March 2, and Lanners and Courtney are due in court March 19.

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