http://www.suntimes.com/news/crime/6634989-418/convicted-sex-offender-found-teaching-kids-karate-on-south-side.html
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Convicted sex offender found teaching kids karate on South Side
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Criminal Courts Reporter/[email protected]
July 21, 2011 3:54PM
Wilbert Anderson was sentenced in 1994 to 30 months in prison and seven years probation for a assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Minnesota.
Even though the South Side man is no longer required to register as a sex offender, he is forbidden from having contact with children under 18, assistant state’s attorney Toni Giancola said.
Anderson was arrested Monday when officers responding to a burglar alarm at the building where he ran his second floor studio did a background check on his name, Giancola said.
Anderson, who was with two of his pupils, said he was given permission from the owner of the liquor store to use space upstairs for his business.
Anderson told officers he didn’t “think it’d be a problem” working with children since he didn’t have to register any more, a police report said.
While the officers questioned him, parents were bringing more children for lessons, in the 7500 block of South Exchange, authorities said.
Anderson, 48, said he has been a karate instructor since 1975 but has only been instructing children at the Exchange Avenue address since May, the report said.
There were no indications the children under Anderson’s care were harmed, Giancola said.
Anderson said he once was a high raking El Rukn street gang member and taught his peers self defense.
Anderson, of the 9200 block of South Loomis, was ordered held in lieu of $30,000 bail Thursday.
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
Convicted sex offender found teaching kids karate on South Side
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Criminal Courts Reporter/[email protected]
July 21, 2011 3:54PM
Wilbert Anderson was sentenced in 1994 to 30 months in prison and seven years probation for a assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Minnesota.
Even though the South Side man is no longer required to register as a sex offender, he is forbidden from having contact with children under 18, assistant state’s attorney Toni Giancola said.
Anderson was arrested Monday when officers responding to a burglar alarm at the building where he ran his second floor studio did a background check on his name, Giancola said.
Anderson, who was with two of his pupils, said he was given permission from the owner of the liquor store to use space upstairs for his business.
Anderson told officers he didn’t “think it’d be a problem” working with children since he didn’t have to register any more, a police report said.
While the officers questioned him, parents were bringing more children for lessons, in the 7500 block of South Exchange, authorities said.
Anderson, 48, said he has been a karate instructor since 1975 but has only been instructing children at the Exchange Avenue address since May, the report said.
There were no indications the children under Anderson’s care were harmed, Giancola said.
Anderson said he once was a high raking El Rukn street gang member and taught his peers self defense.
Anderson, of the 9200 block of South Loomis, was ordered held in lieu of $30,000 bail Thursday.