Granite City man who teaches in St. Louis County grade school faces child porn charges

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with a response from the Riverview Gardens School District.

An elementary school teacher who lives in Granite City and works in north St. Louis County faces child pornography charges, the Illinois State Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday.

Ralph D. Hailey III, 46, was charged on Thursday with reproduction of child pornography and possession of child pornography, according to a news release from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Madison County court records.

Hailey is a computer science teacher at Gibson Elementary School in the Riverview Gardens School District in north St. Louis County, according to the news release and the school district.

The district on Friday released a statement that did not list Hailey’s name or employment status but said the district is cooperating with investigators.

“In light of the nature of the alleged crimes, we are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their investigation. RGSD is also conducting an internal investigation in compliance with District policy,” the statement said.

All school district employees “must pass a criminal background check as a condition of employment,” the statement said. “Due to the status of the ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Hailey’s bond was set at $300,000. The Madison County court records do not list an attorney for Hailey. Records were not available on whether Hailey was still being held Thursday.

Hailey was arrested Wednesday after Raoul’s investigators, with the assistance of the Granite City Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, conducted a search of Hailey’s residence in the 30 block of Steelcrest Drive in Granite City and discovered evidence of child pornography, the news release stated.

If convicted, Hailey faces up to 30 years in prison on the felony reproduction of child pornography charge and up to seven years in prison on the felony possession of child pornography charge, according to the news release.

His name was listed on the staff section of Gibson Elementary School’s website Thursday.

Raoul’s office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies.

“Individuals who exploit innocent children through the dissemination of child pornography must be held accountable,” Raoul said in the news release.

This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 5:31 PM.