This photo is reported to Disclosure to be one of the many that students at a class at Newton High School took of teacher’s aide Stephen F. Ochs purportedly masturbating in front of a class. Whether that was actually what he was doing or not, however, is at issue, and will be up to the courts to ultimately decide.
JASPER CO.— The Newton City Police are currently investigating one of the most disturbing criminal allegations this publication has heard about since its beginning more than a decade ago.
Police Chief Mike Swick has announced that his department is looking into allegations involving one of Newton High School’s teacher’s aides performing a sex act in a classroom on Wednesday, November 5.
Swick announced that Stephen F. Ochs, 63, a lifelong resident of Newton with no criminal history, has been charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child and one count of Official Misconduct.
Initial reports coming in to Disclosure is that Ochs was caught masturbating in front of a classroom full of students, some of whom took pictures on their cell phones, presumably in order to prove that such a horrendous thing actually took place.
Cash bond in the case has been set at $10,000.
State’s attorney Kevin Parker said the high bond is a “balancing act between the seriousness of the offense and impact on the public.”
“It’s a terrible shock,” Parker said. “This guy has been in the school system for some time.”
It is unclear if Ochs intends to hire a private attorney.
Parker said that if Ochs hadn’t hired his own attorney by the time he appears in court Nov. 13 for the formal reading of his charges, that the state would check to see if he is eligible to have a public defender appointed for him.
According to the information filed in the case, Ochs engaged in a sexual act “with knowledge that a child or children would view his acts.”
The official misconduct charge alleges the act was committed while Ochs was a public employee.
If the charges and rumors are proven to be true, Ochs is just the latest individual working in the school system to be criminally charged for his actions involving students.
If convicted he could face up to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.