Counselor Accused of Sex with Runaway Boy
[Previous 6/28/07 post]
(Lake Villa, Illinois) A 32-year-old drug and alcohol counselor, Lori Zolno, was arrested Monday night on charges that she engaged in sex with a 16-year-old boy, a former client. Police searched Zolno's home and found the boy hiding in a closet. According to Lake County Assistant State Attorney Stephen Scheller, Zolno has been charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, obstructing justice and harboring a runaway.
Starting last December, the boy was counseled by Zolno at the Lake Villa facility of the Gateway Foundation, a nonprofit that helps poor alkies and druggies. In May, Zolno was terminated from the facility and the boy was transferred out. On June 3rd, he ran away from a Department of Children and Family Services facility in Chicago and called Zolno who picked him up and took him to her home in Antioch. For the past three weeks, the two allegedly have been intimate.
Zolno was booked into custody with bail set at $200,000. A court appearance is scheduled for July 9th.
[Update 8/18/08]
Earlier today, 33-year-old Lori Zolno pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sexual assault in accordance with an agreement which amended the most serious charge and dropped others. In return, Zolno was sentenced to four years in prison by Circuit Judge Victoria Rossetti.
Upon release, Zolno will be on probation for the rest of her life. Zolno was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
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