People v. Howard

Defendant was convicted, after bench trial, of violating section 11.9.3(b) of Criminal Code, which makes it unlawful for a child sex offender to knowingly loiter within 500 feet of a school while persons under age 18 are present. Defendant had been sitting in a parked car in front of elementary school, which many young children were playing in school yard, less than 20 feet away. The evidence, which showed that Defendant parked his car and waited 4 to 5 minutes for his friend to drop off lunches to her grandchildren at school, was sufficient to meet standard of statute, that he knowingly remained within 500 feet of school while persons under 18 were present. (KARMEIER, FREEMAN, THOMAS, KILBRIDE, GARMAN, and THEIS, concurring.)