Tutor and Former Catholic School Teacher Charged in Orland Park and Evergreen Park Cases

Charges Filed Against Tutor in Orland Park and Evergreen Park

Brett Smith, 43, of Tinley Park, appeared in court on Friday in connection with charges that he inappropriately touched a child he was tutoring in Orland Park, Illinois, and a student he was teaching in Evergreen Park, Illinois.

Orland Park police have charged Smith with aggravated criminal sexual abuse. According to the charges, Smith inappropriately touched a 9-year-old boy he was tutoring. In a separate case, Evergreen Park police have charged him with battery. The Evergreen Park battery charges allege that Smith made unwanted physical contact with a child at Queen of Martyrs School earlier in the month by placing his hand on the student's hand while standing behind him and pressing himself against the boy's back while the boy was at school.

Details of Orland Park Tutoring Allegations

Prosecutors in the Orland Park case said Smith posted a listing on the platform Nextdoor, identifying himself as BJ S. McAuliffe, a private tutor for hire. The parents of a 9-year-old boy interviewed Smith and hired him the same day. Smith then tutored their son at the family's Orland Park home more than a dozen times.

Initially, the parents paid Smith in cash for the tutoring sessions. When they later switched to paying via Zelle, they saw that the account receiving the payments was linked to the name Brett Smith. The boy's father searched for Brett Smith online and found what prosecutors described in court as an extensive criminal history. Prosecutors stated in court that the boy told his parents his tutor would rub his back under his shirt while he was reading.

Employment History and School Response

According to information presented, Smith spent 16 months working as a substitute teacher and tutor for Chicago Catholic Schools. The Chicago Archdiocese fired him on Monday of the same week as the court appearance. The Archdiocese stated that it was not aware of any sexual misconduct allegations against Smith at the time of his employment. Officials from the Archdiocese asked anyone whose child has had contact with Smith that makes them uncomfortable to call their local police department or the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE, and also provided contact information for the Archdiocese Office for the Protection of Children and Youth at 312-534-5254.

The parents of the 9-year-old boy later discovered that Smith was also formerly known as Brett Zagorac and that he had worked in at least four Catholic schools in the Chicago area over the previous 16 months.

Name Changes, Prior Allegations, and Arizona Accusations

The article states that Smith has changed his name multiple times. It also reports that he has been arrested many times before and accused of touching his students, though he has never been convicted of a felony. He was also previously accused of similar conduct in Arizona and Indiana.

In Arizona, the state's attorney general has accused Smith of legally changing his name in 2021 to hide his past. The report notes that Smith has never been convicted of a felony in those prior cases.

Detention Order and Judge’s Ruling

In the Orland Park case, a judge ordered Brett Smith detained until his next court date. During the hearing, the judge addressed Smith in court and stated, "Quite frankly, Mr. Smith, enough is enough."

Civil Lawsuit Filed by Queen of Martyrs Student’s Family

Smith is also facing a civil lawsuit filed by the family of a second-grade student at Queen of Martyrs School. The lawsuit alleges that Smith groomed the boy and touched him inappropriately, including rubbing the boy's buttocks and pressing his own body against the child while the boy was seated at his desk. It is not stated whether this civil lawsuit involves the same student as the Evergreen Park battery charge.

The family’s lawsuit further accuses the Chicago Archdiocese of negligence in hiring Smith. The filing asserts that a simple online search would reveal credible evidence of Smith's alleged sexual misconduct in multiple states and claims that a proper background search would have uncovered such information.

Requests for Information from Potential Victims

Officials at the Archdiocese have asked that anyone with concerns about a child's contact with Brett Smith report them to local law enforcement or the DCFS Hotline. Orland Park police have also asked anyone who believes they, their child, or a child under their care might have been a victim of Smith to contact their local police department.