Coach wanted for sex abuse of 12-year-old softball player may have left state: Vernon Hills police
Witness statements suggest Eddie Acosta may have acted inappropriately with other underage athletes, police said.
VERNON HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- North suburban police are searching for a coach accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old softball player.
Vernon Hills police said 54-year-old Hoffman Estates man Eduardo "Eddie" Acosta-Gonzalez is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison for each count.
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Based on a referral from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, police investigated Eddie Acosta's conduct while he served as the child's softball hitting coach at a Vernon Hills sports performance center where he had rented space.
Police said their efforts to find and arrest Acosta have been unsuccessful, and he may have left the state. Known youth programs affiliated with Acosta were notified about the investigation, but whether he continues to have access to juvenile athletes was not immediately clear.
"This investigation remains very much active," Vernon Hills Deputy Chief Shannon Holubetz said.
Holubetz said there were two incidents earlier this spring and summer. Acosta allegedly massaged the young girl and touched her chest and groin.
"We are extraordinarily grateful for this victim coming forward. It's hard enough for the average person to do, let alone a child," Holubetz said.
A warrant for Acosta's arrest was issued last Friday.
"We are actively working on several leads right now and working to get him taken into custody," Holubetz said.
The parking lot at Gorilla Baseball Academy was nearly empty on Friday. Owner Jason Dolenga confirmed he is aware of the investigation and said he learned of it last week.
"I revoked [Acosta's] access to the building that same day," Dolenga wrote in a statement to ABC7. "[Acosta] has no ongoing role with Gorilla Baseball Academy or Gorilla Baseball Club and will not return."
Dolenga characterized Acosta as "an outside instructor who rented space."
"Any time an adult uses a position of trust or authority to cultivate an inappropriate relationship, it's a matter of grave concern to us," Holubetz said.
Witness statements also suggest Acosta may have acted inappropriately with other underage athletes, police said. He is believed to have offered private coaching throughout the Chicago area, but he was known to train and coach most recently in Vernon Hills and Wauconda.
Police encouraged parents of athletes trained by Acosta to speak with their children and report suspicious conduct to police. Vernon Hills police asked anyone with information to contact the Investigations Division at 847-918-5605 or via email at pdtips@vhills.org.
"[If] you feel as though anything inappropriate or illegal happened, we want to hear from you," Holubetz said. "We have investigators standing by. You will be heard."
Former teacher at Wicomico High School facing child sex abuse charges
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. - A man was arrested after authorities say he sexually abused and exploited a student at Wicomico High School while he was a teacher.
The Wicomico Child Advocacy Center says it began an investigation into Chance Michael Hogue on Aug. 11, 2026.
Detectives say Hogue began employment with Wicomico County Public Schools in 2021. He was employed as a teacher at Wicomico High School for about three years and was previously employed by Choices Academy. Investigators say the victim, a minor, was a student at Wicomico High School. Hogue is no longer employed by WCPS.
Chance Michael Hogue
(Courtesy: Wicomico County Sheriff's Office)
On Aug. 24, 2026, a Wicomico County Grand Jury indicted Hogue on the following charges:
- Two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor
- Two counts of Attempted Sexual Abuse of a Minor
- Two counts of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor
- Two counts of Sexual Offense in the Fourth Degree
- Two counts of Attempted Sexual Offense in the Fourth Degree
Hogue is currently being held without bond pending trial.
Punta Gorda Middle School teacher arraigned on child sexual abuse charges
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Brian Pavluchuk, 40, was criminally arraigned in a Sarasota County courtroom Friday morning, facing multiple severe charges stemming from alleged child sexual abuse dating back over a decade.
Pavluchuk, a former history and civics teacher at Punta Gorda Middle School, was arrested on July 24, 2026, by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. The arrest followed a report from a former child victim who came forward regarding multiple incidents of sexual abuse that allegedly occurred in Sarasota County between 2014 and 2017.
ORIGINAL COVERAGE | Punta Gorda Middle School teacher arrested on child sex abuse charges
Pavluchuk now faces:
- Three counts of sexual battery on a person under the age of 12
- One count of lewd and lascivious molestation on a victim under the age of 12
If convicted, the charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in prison.
Pavluchuk spent the prior decade, following his service in the U.S. Marines, working at various educational institutions across Florida, including schools in Palm Beach, St. Johns, Charlotte, and Sarasota counties. His past employment includes positions at SKY Academy in Englewood and Imagine Schools in North Port.
Charlotte County Public Schools released a statement addressing the arrest, noting that the alleged abuse did not take place in a school setting, while describing the accusations as “deeply troubling.”
Pavluchuk’s next appearance in court is scheduled for a case management conference on October 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m.
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