Noble Square teacher accused of fondling, sending Snapchats to students
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A former instructor from Noble Street College Prep on the city's near Northwest Side is accused of fondling and sending sexually explicit Snapchats to students, police said.
Angel Pagan, 31, taught dance and technology at the school for eight years, school officials said.
Pagan allegedly used the Snapshot app to communicate with three students, all believed to be boys, at the school. Prosecutors said he started Snapchatting one student in April 2015 and the other two students last month.
Prosecutors also say Pagan fondled two students, exposing himself to one of them in the school's locker room after showering. He also allegedly sent pictures of his genitals to the students with captions that said "fresh and clean" and "shower time."
The school says it will soon provide counseling for students. The principal said when she found out about the allegations on Friday, Jan. 8, she asked Pagan to leave by lunchtime. He was fired the following Monday.
"Student safety is our number one priority. As soon as school officials heard of the alleged incident, we notified authorities and removed the teacher from our building. He is no longer an employee of Noble. The investigation is in the hands of law enforcement, and our focus is on the healing of our students, staff, and community," the school said Thursday in a statement.
Some parents are stunned by the news.
"He was a good teacher for her. We never had problems - nothing like that kind. She just mentioned he was fired," said Monica Lopez, a former dancer's mother.
"I'm scared for my daughter. For everybody, for all the kids. As a parent we should do something," said Wilma Schmidt, a student's mother.
Pagan appeared in court Thursday where his bond was set at $500,000. He is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, four counts of manufacturing harmful materials, one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of elicit materials to a minor.
