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| “ | The only thing I'm guilty of is looking after a troubled kid. | „ |
| ~ Sanders rationalizing his pedophilia. |
Darren Sanders is the main antagonist of the Chicago P.D. episode "A Dead Kid, a Notebook and a Lot of Maybes". He is a pedophile who abuses the boys under his tutelage as a swim instructor.
He was portrayed by Kieran Campion.
Biography[]
Overview[]
Sanders was a swimming instructor, a position he held for many years. He worked at a prestigious school and was said to have to good status with his employers and had a great reputation. He was also married and had a few kids. Sanders would scout young boys with potential and get them scholarships to his school, where they would succeed under his guidance. In his spare time, he volunteered as a counselor at a juvenile hall.
In his secret life, however, he was a pedophile who was praying on his students. He would target the vulnerable victims by continuing his masquerade as a kind teacher by offering rides to school and cozying up to them, before ultimately raping them. His victims included Ethan Jones and Colin Blake, both of whom became friends and conspired to get revenge on him by exposing him for the monster he was. To keep them from exposing him, he dismissed both boys from the team so they would look like two angry boys with a grudge, which worked as both boys were social outcasts.
"A Dead Kid, a Notebook and a Lot of Maybes"[]
A month after the dismissal, Sanders realized the boys were not done disrupting his life, so took out money from his kids' college to bribe Jessie Mantel, a delinquent from the Juvie center. He hired him to silence the boys by threatening them, but Jessie posed as another victim hurt by him to get their trust. Eventually, the trio decided to blow up Sanders in his car by making a pipe bomb but Ethan backed out and Colin continued to conspire with Jesse. On the day of the plan, Jessie revealed his true colors before ultimately killing Colin and making his death look a suicide and dumping him, as well as the bomb in the woods not far from the school. The bomb was found and disarmed by CPD's bomb squad with Intelligence investigating Colin's history.
Sanders is physically seen telling the team to mourn Colin, before he is approached by Officers Sean Roman and Kim Burgess. He denies knowing what set Colin off and noted they probably should celebrate the bombing failing. He also revealed Ethan was dismissed by him a while ago, before a commotion is heard and it was Ethan being attacked for having a supposed connection to the bomb but the CPD officers save him.
Much later, Officers Sean Roman and Kim Burgess arrive at his home looking for Ethan, Sanders meets them and is confused by them revealing Ethan was at his home. He allows them to search the property, with Kim looking around the house while Sanders starts to guide Sean but Kim alerts them to something. It is Sanders' truck, spray painted with Pedophile everywhere. Disturbed by the sight, they ask him if it's his car and he bitterly confirms it.
Because of this accusation, Sanders is brought in and questioned by Sergeant Hank Voight who notes that is a nasty thing to be called. Sanders vehemently denies such an allegation while Voight notes that they assumed the boys were trying to bomb the school but realize they were likely going after their abuser. Sanders attempts to mislead the cops by stating he was just a teacher doing his job of helping his pupils but Voight notes he was likely grooming them and took advantage of their vulnerability especially after he reveals Ethan latched on him after his veteran father's death. However, the CPD release him, since they have little to hold him on. It was during his confrontation with the arriving Ethan, did Intelligence note on the reactions of both parties and suspect him. After Sanders left, Ethan was interrogated and when talking to Det. Halstead, he broke down and revealed the sexual abuse by Sanders. With that, they confirmed their suspicions and put eyes on him. Intelligence found out about the withdrawals and him hiring Jesse who they went to arrest but he ended up killed by a train, so they kept his death secret to have leverage against Sanders.
Officer Adam Ruzek and Det. Alvin Olinsky arrive at Sanders' home while he is having a barbecue and arrests him for his crimes against children. He protests this and Ruzek quietly goads him into making a scene, so that he could have an excuse to slam his face into the ground and drag him across the lawn in front of his family and guests but he complies. As he is cuffed and escorted, he tells his wife to call his lawyer.
Sergeant Voight misleads Sanders into thinking that Jessie is giving a statement that implicates him as the mastermind, despite his denial of knowing him. However, Voight tells him he can drop the act because his financial records show that he withdrew money from his children's college funds to silence Ethan and Colin. He gives him the chance to clear things up otherwise he can wait for his lawyer and there's no guarantee he can avoid serious charges. After Voight leaves, Sanders gets erratic after realizing that he will be imprisoned for life if he doesn't talk, decides to cooperate by announcing Jessie wasn't meant to kill anyone. With this, Voight returns and Sanders admits to his crimes while explaining that he only instructed Jessie to scare the pair, putting the death on him alone. Having the full confession, Sanders is finally exposed for his crimes and Ethan took satisfaction at getting true justice.
Sanders is then imprisoned for child molestation and murder facilitation.
External links[]
- Darren Sanders on the Chicago P.D. Wiki
