DuPage County prosecutors and police have accused an Aurora middle school teacher of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student, and charged her with three felony counts, according to a news release Saturday from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office.
Jessica Bergmann, 34, a teacher at Washington Middle School in Aurora, stands accused of having a relationship with a minor she met while he was a student at the school, the release said, though he has since graduated from that school. The state’s attorney’s office did not immediately respond to an Aurora Beacon-News request for the victim’s current age.
Wheaton police received a tip early last month “regarding suspicious incidents involving a minor male and an adult female, later identified as the defendant,” the release said.
After Wheaton police investigated, they alleged that during the victim’s sophomore year in high school, Bergmann and the victim began communicating via text messages and phone calls. Then at some point in time, the relationship between the teacher and former student turned sexual, the release said. Police also said their investigation showed that as the relationship progressed, the victim would frequently go to Bergmann’s home, occasionally staying overnight, where the two would engage in sexual intercourse.
On Nov. 7, police took Bergmann into custody.
DuPage State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Wheaton Chief of Police P.J. Youker announced in the release that Bergmann, 34, of Wheaton, appeared in first appearance court Saturday, charged with one count of criminal sexual assault – position of authority, a Class 1 felony; one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse – position of authority, a class 1 felony, and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class 2 felony.
The court denied the state’s motion to detain Bergmann pre-trial and released her with conditions including no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of eighteen, per the release.
“The profound abuse of trust and authority allegedly displayed by Ms. Bergmann is extremely disturbing and will be met with the full force of the law,” Berlin said. “Teachers are entrusted with our students’ wellbeing. They are given the awesome responsibility to guide and protect our students, not to harm or exploit them. A teacher who takes advantage of a student, as alleged in this case, is not only breaking the law, but they are also breaking the trust placed in them by the community, the school and the victim’s family. I thank the Wheaton Police Department for their efforts on this case and for their continued work in protecting our children from harm. I also thank the DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center as well as Assistant State’s Attorneys Kelly McKay and Mike Fisher for their work in securing the appropriate charges against Ms. Bergmann.”
“This case is yet another example of outstanding collaborative and investigative work by Wheaton’s detectives,” Chief Youker said. “I would like to thank our law enforcement partners at the DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center and State’s Attorney Bob Berlin’s Office for their assistance throughout the investigation. Cases involving alleged abuse by a teacher strike at the core of community trust. This behavior is unacceptable, and the Wheaton Police Department is dedicated to fully investigating any reports involving this allegation, to fully ensure the safety of our community and our children.”
Bergmann’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 1 in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.
An arrest does not constitute a conviction.
