Illinois forensic chemist charged in decades-old sexual abuse case

A forensic chemist trusted inside Illinois’ evidence system now stands accused of abusing a teenage volleyball player more than two decades ago, a case prosecutors say spans 25 felony counts and reaches back to the years when Arthur D. Weathers was coaching in Elgin.

Kane County prosecutors charged Weathers, 54, of Elburn, with 11 counts of criminal sexual assault and 14 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. They say the alleged abuse happened between 1999 and 2001, when Weathers was serving as a volleyball coach at First Kill Volleyball Club in Elgin, and the victim was 16 when it began.

Weathers was arrested the evening of May 19, 2026, and taken into custody by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. He appeared in court the next day for a pretrial detention hearing, where the state argued he should remain detained. The court instead ordered him released under conditions while the case moves forward.

The allegations surfaced only after the victim reported them to law enforcement in August 2025, setting off the investigation that led to the charges. Prosecutors say Weathers has worked for the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services since 1998, making the accusation especially sharp for a defendant whose career has been tied to evidence handling and public trust.

Additional reporting says Weathers coached at First Kill Volleyball Club from 1999 to 2003, first as an assistant coach and later as head coach. That overlapping timeline places his coaching role squarely inside the years prosecutors say the abuse occurred, adding another layer to a case built around access, authority and the long delay before the report reached police.

Public salary records show Weathers was paid $110,200 in 2021 as a State Police forensic scientist, a detail that underscores how long he had been embedded in the state system. The criminal charges, however, remain allegations, and Weathers is presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove the case in court.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information to call 630-444-1103. Weathers’s next court date is set for July 15, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center, where the case tied to a forensic chemist’s own arrest will move back into view.