Illinois teacher sentenced to 50 years for sexually exploiting Hancock County child

INDIANAPOLIS — An Illinois elementary school teacher was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison this week for engaging in sexual acts with young boys – including a child from Hancock County.

Pedro Ibarra, 48, of Elk Grove Village, Illinois was sentenced for the crimes on Monday.

Court documents say Ibarra began chatting with a boy from Hancock County in June 2021.

The boy was younger than 13-years-old.

On June 22, 2021, Ibarra drove from Illinois to Hancock County where he picked up the boy and took him to a local hotel. Ibarra engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the child, recording the criminal acts on his cellphone, according to court documents.

“The heinous sexual abuse of these children is every parent’s nightmare. These tragic crimes reiterate that those who seek to sexually exploit our children online and in person are often the people parents and children should be able to trust,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “

The United States Department of Justice said that at the same time Ibarra was committing these crimes he taught elementary school at a Chicago Public School.

“The significant sentence imposed today shows that federal, state, and local law enforcement will work together tirelessly to identify child sexual predators and send them to prison where they belong,” Myers said.

“Those who perpetrate crimes against children in Hancock County and throughout the State must know that we will do everything within our power to protect our kids and hold offenders accountable,” Aimee Herring, Hancock County Chief Deputy Prosecutor said.