Former Triad teacher pleads guilty to molestation charges

A former Triad teacher pleaded guilty Monday to multiple charges of molestation.

Jason Ehlers, 38, of Bethalto, pleaded guilty to several counts involving the sexual abuse or assault of eight children over a period of three years. He was charged in April 2014, and subsequently resigned from Triad District 2.

Ehlers was a former teacher in the Bethalto school district, and investigators determined that no current or former students were among Ehlers’ victims. Investigators believed that the abuse of the victims occurred at his home, and all of the victims knew him prior to the abuse.

Ehlers was originally charged with 10 felony counts and four misdemeanors. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to one count of predatory sexual assault of a child, a class X felony; one count of sexual assault, a class 1 felony; three counts of aggravated sexual abuse, a class 2 felony; and three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

The remaining counts were dismissed as part of the plea bargain, according to Stephanee Smith, spokeswoman for the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office. No further information regarding the victims was released due to their age and concern for their privacy, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

The case was investigated by multiple agencies, including the Madison County Child Advocacy Center, the Bethalto Police Department and the state’s attorney’s Children’s Justice Division. “This case illustrates the importance of the coordinated effort needed to protect our children and bring predators to justice,” Gibbons said.

Ehlers remains in custody at the Madison County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. Prosecutors intend to request a sentence of 35 years in prison. A pre-sentencing investigation will take place over the next few weeks.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 3:41 PM with the headline "Former Triad teacher pleads guilty to molestation charges."