Payton Prep Basketball Coach Charged with Sexual Assault

BY ERIC HERMAN
Criminal Courts Reporter/eherman@suntimes.com

A basketball coach at Walter Payton College Prep faces criminal sexual assault charges over alleged incidents with two 15-year-old female students at the school.

George Turner, 46, allegedly took one of the girls to a sex novelty store and bought vibrators. He then drove her to the lakefront and used one on her, said assistant state’s attorney Kathleen Muldoon.

“The defendant befriended the victim,” Muldoon said.

Turner began assaulting the first victim on Dec. 20, 2007, touching her breasts in the athletic director’s office, according to Muldoon. On other occasions, he engaged in oral sex with the girl, Muldoon said. Some of the incidents occurred in Turner’s car, she said.

On Feb. 7, Turner drove the girl to an “adult sex store,” where he purchased two vibrators and a “pair of shorts,” Muldoon said. He then drove the girl to the lakefront, told her to take off her clothes and put on the shorts.

After penetrating her with a vibrator, Turner gave the girl the recently purchased items to keep, Muldoon said.

“The vibrator and shorts have been recovered from victim No. 1,” Muldoon said.

On Feb. 28, Turner allegedly touched the breasts of another girl, also 15.

The second victim told the first victim, and they reported the incidents to authorities the following day, Muldoon said.

Turner’s lawyer, William Laws, said the coach has been married for 17 years and has two children, including a 15-year-old daughter.

A graduate of Wheaton Centrail High, Turner previously coached a semi-pro basketball team in Michigan, Laws said.

Judge Maura Slattery Boyle set bond at $275,000.