Schools
Durand man convicted of stalking and lewd exposure at Rockton high school
By Tina Schwartz
Former Effingham teacher pleads guilty to child porn, grooming
Tom Patel
Tom Patel
Reporter · Bloomington, IL
With a background in educational policy and a degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Tom has spent the last 6 years covering the Bloomington school district for various outlets. He is passionate about education and has won awards for his investigative pieces on local school funding and reforms.
More from Tom →Reporter · Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 11:04 PM · 1 min read
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) -- The former Effingham County teacher accused of inappropriately communicating with a student and possessing child pornography has pleaded guilty to some of the charges against him. Court records show 33-year-old Dakota M. Czerwonka of Montrose pleaded guilty to one count each of grooming and sexual exploitation of a child (both Class [...]
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