Crystal Lake student charged with 2 felonies for locker room cam

A 17-year-old student accused of a placing a pinhole camera in a locker room at his Crystal Lake High School appeared in court Friday morning, and bonded out of jail before noon.

Luke Patrick Gildea spent Thursday night in jail and faced a judge on two felony counts Friday, accused of unauthorized video recording and unauthorized video recording of a victim less than 18 years of age.

The McHenry County prosecutor said the teen was charged as an adult.

"The allegations are that he put a camera in a locker room in the high school," Atty. Michael Combs said.

Gildea walked quickly out of jail with a jacket over his head, accompanied by his father, who posted the $1,500 of his $15,000 bond.

School officials alerted police after another student discovered the pinhole camera in the boys' locker room Thursday morning.

Police found images of underage boys in the camera. They said the stand-alone camera was not capable of transmitting video or images. Investigators said the device only recorded one morning's worth of material.

Classmates said Luke Gildea was on the football team, and they could not believe the allegations.

"I was shocked, Suzy Jezioroski said. "I never would have guessed he would do that."

"He's in my math class he's really quiet," Chase Shepley said. "I don't know what would cause it."

The felonies carry penalties of up to three years in prison, but prosecutors said given the boy's age and lack of criminal history, he probably won't have to serve time.