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Pastor faces child porn charges Church says it stands behind DeKalb man who also mentored D-428 students By ERIC R. OLSON eolson@shawmedia.com DeKALB – A local pastor who mentored students in DeKalb schools was being held Wednesday in the DeKalb County Jail on child pornography charges. Corey D. Butler, 34, of the 1600 block of Kent Street in DeKalb, was arrested Tuesday after police found child pornography on a computer in his bedroom, court records show. Butler faces charges including possession of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography,
according to court records. The most serious charges typically are punishable by six to 30 years in prison. His bond was set at $101,500, which included bond for a past traffic violation. He would have to post $10,150 bail to be released. Police were alerted by the Illinois Crimes against Children Task Force, which includes an officer from Sycamore police, that child pornography was being shared from an address on Kent Place from Feb. 28 to March 2 of this year, according to court records.
In an interview with DeKalb police, Butler admitted possessing the material and that he allowed others to access, view and download it, court records show. Hundreds of images were found, but so far, nothing suggests that Butler abused any children in the area, DeKalb police Lt. Bob Redel said. Anyone with information about potential abuse is asked to contact DeKalb police at 815-748-8400. “... If there are victims, I’m sure we’re going to get phone calls,” Redel said. Butler is an ordained minister
who oversees the Jesus is the Way Christian Center, which meets at the Holiday Inn Express in Sycamore and in the Heritage Room at the Holmes Student Center at Northern Illinois University. Services have included themes such as “Get Crunk Sunday” and “#FML (Fix My Life) Sunday.” Church representatives did not return a call Wednesday, but posted a message of support for Butler on the organization’s Facebook page. “As a church, as a family, we do not stand by what we have heard, we stand by what we
know,” the letter, which was signed by “JITWCC Staff,” reads. “We know our servant; we have seen the evidence of his character demonstrated countless times. All of us have been able to bear witness independently and corporately to the man who is still our pastor and apostle.” Butler has been active in the DeKalb School District 428 since 2011. He sought to run for a seat on the school board that year, but his name was removed from the ballot because he used the title
See PASTOR, page A8
DeKALB PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING
University Village change stalls
Corey D. Butler, 34, was arrested Tuesday after police said they found child pornography on a computer in his bedroom.
Dems, Ill. governor far apart on budget By KERRY LESTER The Associated Press
Photos by Monica Synett – msynett@shawmedia.com
Commissioner Michael Welsh discusses seven variances at the center of a rezoning request for University Village during a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Wednesday at the DeKalb Municipal Building. The seven-member advisory commission voted 4-3 Wednesday against a key provision of the zoning change, but the commission failed to take a decisive up or down vote on the entire request. The zoning change would allow Seattle-based Security Properties to buy the complex and undertake an $18 million renovation project.
Request by Security Properties to be revisited at next meeting By BRETT ROWLAND browland@shawmedia.com DeKALB – The DeKalb City Council will have to wait to decide a zoning issue at the center of a Seattle company’s plan to buy and renovate University Village, the city’s largest apartment complex. On Wednesday, a proposed zoning change that would allow Security Properties to buy the 534-unit apartment complex at 722 N. Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb and undertake an $18 million renovation project divided the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. The seven-member advisory commission voted 4-3 Wednesday against a key provision of the zoning change, but the commission failed to take a decisive up or down vote on the entire
request despite repeated recommendations to do so from DeKalb City Attorney Dean Frieders. Seattle-based Security Properties requested the apartment complex be rezoned and granted seven variances from the city’s Unified Development Ordinance. The Planning and Zoning Commission, which had asked for more time to make a decision on the request after a four-hour meeting April 15, was expected to vote on the entire rezoning request. Instead of doing that, Chairman Michael Welsh had commissioners vote separately on six of the seven variances. The commission agreed to granting five of the six, but was split on the density variance – the most critical aspect of the zoning change.
See REQUEST, page A8
Bessie Chronopoulos, sitting next to Jim Mason (left), shakes her head in reaction to a motion made during a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Wednesday at the DeKalb Municipal Building. “I don’t think they should increase the density of the property,” Chronopoulos said in regard to University Village.
SPRINGFIELD – With just weeks left before Illinois’ 2016 budget must be passed, Democratic leaders and GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner remain far apart on how to bridge a $6 billion revenue gap. A memo circulated by Senate Democrats on Tuesday questions roughly $5.8 billion in savings in Rauner’s proposed $32 billion budget. The caucus suggests the proposal may not only violate a provision of the Illinois constitution, which promises employee benefits shall not be “diminished or impaired,” but also likely requires changes to state law and federal policies and negotiations with labor unions. Among the senators’ concerns is that cutting $1.5 Gov. Bruce billion from the Rauner Medicaid health care program for the poor, which is funded by state and federal dollars, would require federal approval. Lawmakers began meeting this week to work on the governor’s “Turnaround Agenda,” a set of pro-business priorities Rauner wants the Legislature to approve in exchange for consenting to new revenue to save programs near and dear to Democrats. Without that grand bargain, the governor’s proposed spending plan would balance the budget entirely by slashing spending for things like Medicaid, human services programs and state employees’ group health care. The plan also includes a roughly $300 million increase to K-12 education, which the governor has identified as a top priority. The Democrats’ memo notes the Medicaid cuts would require a change in state law as well as federal approval. Cutting roughly $500 million from various human service programs could violate a federal law requiring states to provide refugee services and judicial consent decrees, including one governing caseloads and levels of care for wards of the state at the Department of Children and Family Services, the memo says.
See BUDGET, page A8
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