Niles North Teacher Pleads Guilty To Sexually Exploiting Minors

Jeffrey Tackes, the former Niles North math teacher and cheerleading coach who resigned , plead guilty at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton today.

team to his Bensenville home on Dec. 15. After the party had ended, two students stayed behind and played strip poker with Tackes, the Chicago Tribune reports. Tackes also exposed himself to the minors, who were 16 and 17.

Tackes was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and probation, the Tribune reported. He will also have to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years.

The allegations were brought to light on Feb. 13, 2012 when Tackes was charged. He was accused of coercing a Niles North student younger than 17 years old to remove her clothing for his sexual arousal or gratification, Bensenville police said. Tackes resigned one day after being charged. He had been coaching cheerleading the 14 months from the time of the incident until he resigned.

In March, Jim Szczepaniak, District 219's community relations director, said the school was not aware that Tackes had cheerleaders visit his home until it conducted an internal investigation.

"It became apparent that he had invited students there that night," Szczepaniak said in an email. "As part of our school investigation, Niles North administration interviewed all members of the cheerleading team, as well as coaches and others in contact with the cheerleading team."