Former youth center worker admits to misconduct

A former Illinois Youth Center employee pleaded guilty to felony official misconduct after she engaged in sexual contact with an inmate at St. Charles facility.

Antoinette Perkins, 33, of Berwyn was sentenced to 30 months of probation and 100 hours of community service by Jan. 15, 2024, according to a news release from the Kane County state's attorney.

As part of the guilty plea, Perkins forfeits any future government employment and cannot contact the former inmate. Kane County Associate Judge Salvatore LoPiccolo accepted the plea.

In October 2020, Perkins engaged in sexual contact with an inmate at Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles while working as an juvenile justice specialist. She resigned from the Illinois Department of Corrections in November 2020.

"Ms. Perkins was in a position of trust over this 18-year-old IYC inmate. Her criminal actions are magnified because so many IYC inmates are from at-risk situations," Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser said. "They should be able to trust those who are there to look out for their best interests. Instead, Ms. Perkins betrayed the trust of the inmate she took advantage of, along with the community."