The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) have issued subpoenas to the Carterville school district for personnel and disciplinary records of John J. Wakey, a longtime high school teacher and assistant football coach, amid a criminal sexual abuse investigation. The sheriff’s subpoena was served February 25th, shortly after announcing an investigation into an unnamed employee accused of sexually abusing a former student. ISBE’s subpoena, part of a licensure investigation, seeks employment-related records and must be answered by April 16th.
No charges have been filed, and the subpoenas do not confirm wrongdoing. The district placed Wakey on leave on February 20th after notification from law enforcement.
The investigation began after an FBI tip in November 2024 was referred to local authorities. The sheriff’s office is also seeking academic records for 17 former students, with names withheld for privacy. Sheriff Jeff Diederich says there may be multiple potential victims, all adults at this time.
Questions have arisen about whether the district should have reported the FBI tip to child welfare authorities sooner. The district says the initial tip was anonymous and unverified, and a formal report to DCFS was made only after a former student came forward in February. The next school board meeting is set for tomorrow (Thursday) night, with parents expected to address concerns.