A former Plainfield middle school PE teacher and Hinsdale Central High School assistant boys lacrosse coach faces felony charges involving contact with one of his middle school students.
Alex Buetikofer, 38, was arrested Saturday by Joliet police on charges including aggravated battery, indecent solicitation of a child, grooming, traveling to meet a child and solicitation to meet a child, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said. He remains in the Kendall County Jail on the pending charges, a Kendall County State’s Attorney official confirmed.
According to Joliet police, a female student at Aux Sable Middle School in Plainfield Community Consolidated District 202 contacted school officials after a March 13 incident involving Buetikofer making “nonsexual physical contact” that made her uncomfortable after class ended.
School officials placed Buetikofer, who lives in Lisle, on leave and notified Joliet police, which began a criminal investigation that included police, posing as the student, texting with Buetikofer.
During that texting period, between April 6 and April 17, Buetikofer made several attempts to move the conversation to Snapchat, requested images of the student and suggested meeting in person.
On Friday evening, he traveled to a McDonald’s in Yorkville to meet with who he believed was the 14-year-old student for sex, Evans said during a news conference Monday. When police took him into custody they found alcohol, a sex toy on the front seat and blankets covering the windows of a vehicle he had rented, he said.
“Alex Buetikofer was in a position of trust,” Evans said. “Students should be able to look at educators as people who are there to protect them, encourage them and help them grow.”
Evans went on to say that the investigation indicates “that trust was seriously violated in the most abhorrent fashion conceivable.”
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Buetikofer was terminated from his position at Aux Sable Middle School following a March 25 school board meeting, where board members approved his dismissal.
“When allegations of this nature arise, we act swiftly and decisively,” Plainfield Community Consolidated District 202 Superintendent Glen Wood said.
He added that district officials continue to work with police on the matter.
Buetikofer worked as a coach in District 86 from March 2016 to October 2024 and then returned from March 2 to March 19 this year, said Alex Mayster, the district’s executive director of communication. Mayster added it is possible that Buetikofer worked as a volunteer coach for the district prior to 2016.
His résumé also stated that he was employed from 2012 to 2017 at Freedom Middle School in Berwyn as a physical education teacher, Plainfield school officials said.
In a letter to Hinsdale High School District 86 parents, Superintendent Michael Lach said the district was informed on March 18 of the allegations against Buetikofer.
“Upon receiving this information the District acted promptly to end his involvement as a lacrosse coach at Hinsdale Central and took all necessary steps to protect our students,” Lach wrote, adding that effective March 19, the district had ceased all association with Buetikofer, who was formally terminated March 26.
Lach said the district has no current information of any inappropriate behavior between Buetikofer and District 86 students, but noted the district is cooperating with authorities as the investigation continues. Lach said parents are encouraged to contact the principal of their student’s school if any contact their student may have had with Buetikofer raises concerns.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” Lach wrote.
The Joliet police investigation focused on one student, though several students came forward indicating that Buetikofer had asked them for their phone number or to connect with them through social media, investigators said.
Alicia Fabbre and Chuck Fieldman are freelance reporters.