A former Thornton Fractional South High School math teacher was arrested earlier this month in Lansing and charged with sexually assaulting two students, more than a year after his identical twin brother was charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student.
Andre Richmond, 32, was charged Jan. 8 with criminal sexual assault and child pornography involving two high school students. His brother, former teacher and wrestling coach at Thornton Fractional South High School Aaron Richmond, was charged with sexual assault in December 2024. Both resigned from Thornton Fractional District 215 at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Andre Richmond met both of the students he allegedly abused in his geometry class, prosecutors said. The first victim, who was 16, reported abuse occurring between December 2021 and May 2022, after she and Richmond began messaging on social media.
Prosecutors said the online relationship between teacher and student evolved during the school’s winter break, with Andre Richmond booking a room at the Red Roof Hotel in Lansing and taking the student there.
Andre Richmond met the student about eight times, and on one occasion in April 2022 requested to record their session on the student’s phone via Snapchat to be sent to him, according to prosecutors.
The student allegedly “made several outcries” while the abuse was ongoing, and investigators received the videos through a search warrant to Snapchat and from Richmond’s cellphone.
Andre Richmond was also charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student in his classroom between March and June 2024. Prosecutors said he instructed the student not to tell anyone about the abuse “or her grades would suffer.”
A parent of the student also filed a lawsuit against Richmond and Thornton Fractional High School District 215, alleging the district previously investigated and suspended Richmond for similar behavior.
Andre Richmond told the student to sit in the desk next to his and would occasionally ask her to sit with him at his own desk, according to prosecutors. On multiple occasions during class, Richmond allegedly used opportunities where other students weren’t paying attention to place his hand on the student and rub her inner thigh and more on one occasion, prosecutors said.
Richmond also allegedly forced the student to hug him before allowing her to leave his class and contacted her through social media, at one point inviting her to his house for a sleepover, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the student refused Richmond’s advances and met with the school social worker in August 2024, disclosing the abuse. The social worker filed a report with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Investigators also interviewed a classmate of the student, who reported witnessing Richmond’s inappropriate behavior. She said Richmond told the victim she was “sexy” via text and turned down tutoring other students because he was busy with her.
District 215 did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Andre Richmond’s attorney, Daniel Hinich, said it’s early on in the case but said he plans to investigate the allegations brought against Richmond and “put together a vigorous defense.”
Aaron Richmond was arrested in Glenwood and charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Aaron Richmond picked up the victim from her home in March 2024 under the pretense he was taking her to a wrestling tournament in Springfield, prosecutors said. Richmond drove to his former home in Glenwood claiming he had to pack for the tournament, they said.
Aaron Richmond invited the girl inside to wait for him, but shortly after entering the residence he sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said. Richmond then drove the girl to the wrestling match and told her not to tell anyone what had happened, prosecutors said.
In May, the school contacted the girl’s mother after she had written a paper on inappropriate contact between staff and students, prosecutors said. After school staff investigated the paper, she told a staff member about the assault by Aaron Richmond, prosecutors said. The girl’s mother later found a picture the girl accidentally took of herself while Richmond was assaulting her, they said.
The girl filed an order of protection against Richmond in May, court records show. Three of the girl’s friends later told police that she told them what had happened to her, prosecutors said.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
