Jeremy Hylka case may remain sealed until June 24

The criminal case against Jeremy Hylka may remain sealed from public view until June 24, when he is expected to makes his first court appearance.

Will County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney said it was their office that requested the seal “based on an assessment of what is appropriate based on the individual facts and circumstances of a given matter.”

“Various factors enter into the determination in any particular case,” Cheney said.

Cheney said she did not know the specific reason why the Hylka case was sealed but she gave general examples, such as prosecutors not wanting the defendant “to be tipped off,” officer safety and concerns that potential co-defendants “may be tipped.”

“At the time the seal occurred here, Jeremy Hylka was not in custody,” she said.

Nevertheless, Joliet police officials announced on April 29 that their investigation of Hylka led to him facing charges of traveling to meet a minor and grooming. Two days later, Joliet police officials said they learned Hylka was a patient at a hospital and his attorney promised his client would surrender himself after he was released.

Judge Sarah Jones signed the $100,000 warrant for Hylka’s arrest, according to Cheney.

Hylka spent almost two weeks at Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital in New Lenox before he surrendered to the police on Tuesday. He was arrested, booked and released the same day after posting 10% of his bond.

Hylka’s next court date is June 24. It’s possible the seal on the case could be lifted before then.

“If there were to be an earlier court date scheduled, a request of the court to remove seal could be brought at that time,” Cheney said.

Hylka’s charges were the result of an investigation by Joliet police detectives, who received a Snapchat video from the group Save Our Siblings that apparently captured Hylka attempting to rendezvous with someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy on April 27 at a Joliet McDonald’s, police said.

Hylka taught at Joliet Catholic Academy until he resigned following an investigation regarding “online allegations” on June 2, 2020, according to JCA officials. He was later hired to work as a teacher at St. Joseph Catholic School in Lockport until he was fired by the Diocese of Joliet in the wake of the Save Our Siblings video.

The Diocese of Joliet has disclosed that Hylka did not fulfill employment requirements while teaching at St. Joseph’s. Lynne Scheffler, the school’s principal, has been placed on administrative leave while diocese officials examine “the circumstances regarding Hylka’s employment.”