A Mercer County High School teacher has been arrested and charged with with a felony, according to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.
In a press release, the Sheriff’s Department said it “received a complaint on Oct. 28 regarding seemingly inappropriate text messages that were sent to a minor.”
26-year-old Brandon Livingston of Joy was taken into custody Wednesday after an investigation by sheriff’s deputies. He’s been charged with a Class 3 felony of official misconduct and a Class A misdemeanor of distribution of explicit material to a minor.
Livingston made his initial appearance in Mercer County Circuit Court Thursday morning and was granted pre-trial release. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 19.
In a statement to WRMJ, Mercer County Schools said, “On October 28, 2024, Mercer County Schools received allegations of inappropriate conduct by a Mercer County High School employee. The District notified the authorities and placed the employee on administrative leave. Law enforcement notified the District on October 30, 2024, that the employee was arrested in connection with the allegations. The District is, and will continue to, fully cooperate with all investigating agencies. The safety of our students is the District’s top priority and the District will continue working to protect our kids from any and all inappropriate behavior.”
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Department received assistance from Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations.