From the State’s Attorney:
REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER DETAINED AFTER ALLEGEDLY COMMUNICATING WITH MINOR AT CRYSTAL LAKE ICE RINK
McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese announced today that the Honorable Judge Michael Feetterer granted the State’s petition to deny pretrial release for John Kaspari, 74, of Johnsburg, Illinois.
Kaspari appeared in Initial Appearance Court after being charged with the offense of Communication with a Child by a Registered Sex Offender, a class 4 felony, stemming from his alleged contact with a minor child at a Crystal Lake ice rink.
According to evidence presented at the hearing, an investigation began by officers with the Crystal Lake Police Department after receiving complaints of inappropriate behavior by a man who attends open ice periods at the Crystal Lake Icehouse.
Investigative efforts revealed that the man, identified later as Kaspari, had communicated with a child at the ice rink, and had obtained his phone number and began texting the child directly from June 5, 2026, to June 12, 2026.
Kaspari, who had previously been convicted of Possession of Child Pornography in 2021, is a registered sex offender barred from communicating with any minor without lawful justification.
At the detention hearing, prosecutors argued that the defendant presents a real and present threat to the safety of the public, particularly minors, and that no condition or combination of conditions could adequately mitigate that threat.
After considering the facts and circumstances presented, the Court granted the State’s petition and ordered the defendant detained pending trial.
State’s Attorney Randi Freese commended the Crystal Lake Police Department for its swift investigation and ongoing commitment to protecting children. “Protecting children from predators who seek to exploit or prey upon them remains one of our highest priorities,” Freese said.
“The Court’s decision to detain this defendant reflects the serious nature of these allegations and our persistent commitment to keeping our community safe.”
Kaspari’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 23, 2026, in courtroom 302.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
