Theology student pleads not guilty to soliciting sex from child

By Lee Filas
Daily Herald
October 29, 2014

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20141029/news/141028043/

Dario Spasic

A theology student from Ohio training at a Serbian Orthodox school near Libertyville pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges he solicited sex from someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy.

Dario Spasic, 22, with a current address in the 32300 block of Milwaukee Avenue, is facing up to five years in prison if found guilty on two counts of indecent solicitation of a child under 17, said Cynthia Vargas, spokeswoman with the Lake County State's Attorneys Office.

Spasic is free while awaiting trial after posting the required 10 percent of his $100,000 bail. Vargas said Spasic has returned to his parents' home in Ohio while the case is pending.

At the time of his arrest, Spasic was a student at the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox School of Theology and the Metropolitan Center of the Serbian Orthodox Church near Libertyville, authorities confirmed. According to its website, the mission of the Serbian Orthodox School of Theology is to train candidates for priesthood in the Serbian Orthodox Church.

A person who did not wish to be identified at St. Sava said Spasic is no longer a student there. He would not say whether Spasic was studying to become a monk or a priest.

Spasic was arrested by Lake County Sheriff's deputies Sept. 19 after authorities said he asked over a mobile social networking application to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old boy for sexual activities.

The 14-year-old, authorities said, was actually a detective with the Lake County Sheriff's Office Cybercrimes Unit. When Spasic showed up for the meeting, he was met by sheriff's detectives, authorities said.

Spasic is due back in court Dec. 11, Vargas said.