April 17--Schaumburg officials have approved settlements for two separate lawsuits filed against the village and against current and former police officers.
The federal lawsuits each name at least one former Schaumburg officer who has been accused of corruption.
Village board members voted this week to approve a $20,000 settlement for Kelley Altom, who alleged in a lawsuit that officers "knowingly and intentionally schemed and worked together in a common plan to illegally search his house" and used "excessive and unreasonable force" while doing so.
Village trustees also approved a $32,000 settlement for Jovan Gilbert, who filed a lawsuit alleging officers planned "to falsely arrest and set up Jovan Gilbert for false drug charges."
The village admitted no wrongdoing in either settlement.
The lawsuits were filed after former Schaumburg officers Terrance O'Brien, Matthew Hudak and John Cichy were charged in 2013 with conspiracy to steal drugs and money from drug dealers while on duty. O'Brien and Hudak pleaded guilty and are serving prison sentences, while Cichy is scheduled to head to trial in the coming months.
The village has been sued at least 16 times in cases related to the accused corruption, said Schaumburg Village Manager Brian Townsend. Five of those cases remain open, he said.
Altom alleged in his 2013 lawsuit -- which names Hudak, O'Brien, the village and other, unknown officers as defendants -- that Hudak made "knowingly false statements" in an affidavit to get a search warrant for Altom's Schaumburg home.
The officers "pointed their weapons at Plaintiff's head" and he was "violently shoved to the ground during the search," according to the lawsuit.
Then, the lawsuit alleged, the officers searched Altom's grandmother's home in Hoffman Estates without a search warrant.
"Hudak falsely claimed that Plaintiff stated he lived at the Hoffman Estates home," according to the lawsuit, "and that the Schaumburg home -- which Defendants had just searched -- was vacant."
According to the lawsuit, the officers took about $5,000 from the Hoffman Estates home and kept the money for themselves -- or "seized and converted" -- $2,180 of that. The officers then charged Altom with production and possession with intent to deliver cannabis, according to the lawsuit.
Those charges were dismissed five months later.
Gilbert's 2013 lawsuit alleged officers pulled Gilbert over because, they said, her car was reported stolen. They then arrested her on drug-related charges, according to the lawsuit.
"There was no probable cause to arrest the Plaintiff," according to the lawsuit.
Officers also put a GPS tracker on Jovan's car "without a warrant or court order," according to the lawsuit.
The suit names O'Brien and officers Pamon Mir, Tom Greenaway and Alan Takei as defendants. Mir, Greenaway and Takei still work for the department, said John Timbo, a Schaumburg village attorney
Both lawsuits allege the police officers' actions followed department custom.
Townsend said the village has made the appropriate changes to its police department since the lawsuits were filed.
"When the allegations came to light, the village responded quickly to address the situation," he said.
Gregory Kulis, Gilbert's attorney, said she is happy the issue has been resolved and she can move forward.
Louis Meyer, an attorney for Altom, said he was happy with the settlement. His client also wanted to put the incident behind him, Meyer said.
sfreishtat@tribpub.com
