Chicago teacher charged with child pornography after being arrested with minor at Miami airport

A Chicago-based private school teacher has been charged with attempted production of child pornography after federal agents became curious after he tried to re-enter the country with a 17-year-old Argentinian boy. The two were found at Miami International Airport.

Court documents recently revealed that Emilio Vrdoljak was stopped by authorities in Miami on June 29, while he was with a 17-year-old Argentinian boy. The two had just arrived in the U.S. from Buenos Aires, according to WFLD.

The boy said Vrdoljak was his school teacher, and that he was staying with him for two weeks in the U.S. as part of his education. The boy allegedly added that Vrdoljak had asked him to sleep in the same bed while in Argentina, but he refused.

When the authorities searched Vrdoljak's phone, they found sexual comments and photos that had been sent to a different boy who identified himself as 16 years old.

According to the affidavit, Vrdoljak sent the unidentified male an explicit video and requested one back. Officials said that the teacher and the alleged 16-year-old had chatted and exchanged images and videos over a period of several days.

When Vrdoljak was asked why he continued to communicate with the minor, he allegedly told investigators that he was "thinking with his butt."

CWB Chicago reported that Vrdoljak was ordered by a U.S. Magistrate Judge to post $250,000 bail and remain under house arrest at his home in South Loop on July 13.

The president of DePaul College Prep in North Center emailed school employees and parents about the arrest on Friday, noting Vrdoljak is a "former, short-term employee" who no longer works there.

Though the allegations do not involve anyone from the school, the email was reportedly sent "out of an abundance of caution."

DePaul is a "Catholic and Vincentian high school, sponsored by the Congregation of the Mission," and it is has close ties with DePaul University, which is also based in Chicago.

It appears Vrdoljak was previously involved in Sprouts Academy Preschool, where he taught Spanish. On the Chicago-based preschool page, there is a short biography of Vrdoljak, which states: "My name is Emilio Vrdoljak. I am from Northern Argentina, a place called Chaco. I have been living in Chicago since 2002. I am a school teacher and have been teaching kids since 1992. I taught English in Argentina in my hometown for 10 years before moving here. I love travelling and photography."

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