Police: Former Chippewa Teacher Sent Girl Photo Of Genitals

Former Chippewa Middle School teacher Jack K. Pickup has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child and grooming after texting a photo of his genitals to a former student, McHenry County Sheriff's police said.

Pickup, 34, of Barrington, had an online relationship with the girl, now 15, since 2011, police said. Pickup met the girl when she was a seventh grader at Chippewa and he was a teacher there.

Stay connected: Receive an email from Des Plaines Patch with headlines in the morning.

Police said that Pickup had been texting the victim since she graduated 8th grade and that Pickup gave the girl his phone number so that they could stay in touch after she graduated.

Pickup began "sexting" the victim on June 24. During one of those conversations he sent a picture of his exposed genitals, McHenry County Sheriff's police said.

Pickup was arrested at his parents' home in Barrington.

“The parents of this victim should be commended for monitoring their child’s online and texting conversations. We encourage parents to maintain vigilance and continue to remind their children of the possible dangers of social media,” said McHenry County Undersheriff Andrew Zinke.

MeLinda Ward, community relations director for , stated in an email to Patch that the district has no comment on the incident at this time.

Stay in touch on Facebook; like Des Plaines Patch.