advertisement

Former St. Viator coach indicted on charge of sexually abusing teenage girl

Prosecutors announced an indictment Thursday against former St. Viator High School basketball coach Joseph Majkowski on a new charge of sexually abusing a minor.

Majkowski, 65, had previously been charged with sending inappropriate text messages to four 15-year-old students. Those misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges are still pending.

Majkowski will be arraigned on the new felony charge Feb. 5. Defense attorney Alfred Stavros previously described the new charge as "unfounded and unsubstantiated."

He stopped coaching in 2011 after 35 years, 24 of them as boys basketball coach. But Majkowski remained on staff as the head of St. Viator's counseling department. He retired from that position at the end of the 2018-19 school year, school officials said.

In June 2019, the day before he was to retire, police escorted Majkowski off the Catholic high school's Arlington Heights campus. The next month, the Arlington Heights resident was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct related to the texts, authorities said.

A heavily redacted police report released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request included a statement from a girl who said Majkowski's texts "made her feel uncomfortable." According to the report, in one text message Majkowski tells students "that he loves them."

School policy prohibits teachers from contacting students except by email, according to the report. Additionally, parents must be copied on all correspondence.

The sexual abuse allegation surfaced in October 2019. The mother of that accuser called police after the initial allegations against him became public and indicated her daughter had received similar texts from Majkowski, who was her guidance counselor, according to Arlington Heights police Sgt. Andrew Blevins. The family did not want to pursue charges, Blevins said.

But after the girl told therapists Majkowski inappropriately touched her in his office, she and her mother spoke with investigators, Blevins said. In December 2019, police arrested Majkowski on charges he sexually abused the teen.

Multiple St. Viator students provided texts that led to charges, report says

Accused ex-Viator coach's attorney requests copies of texts sent to students

Ex-St. Viator coach facing new sex abuse charge

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.