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Cops Colluded in Sex Assault, Woman Says

URBANA, Ill. (CN) - A downstate Illinois police officer sexually assaulted a woman and his partner and a Highway Patrolman covered it up, the woman claims in court.

Sarah Pyles sued the Village of Manteno, its police Officers Chadd Gagnon and Jason Forbes and Illinois state police Officer Cornelius Moore, in Federal Court.

Manteno, pop. 8,600, is 50 miles south of Chicago.

Pyles says in the complaint that she was on her way home from a charity event on Aug. 12, 2011, when she became disoriented and pulled into a gas station. Fearing she might be drunk, Pyles says, she parked at a gas station and called a friend to pick her up. While waiting, Gagnon and Forbes arrived in separate cars.

She says she spoke with the officers for about an hour, about "a number of subjects, including sports, tattoos, the clothing plaintiff was wearing and affairs."

She says Gagnon took her keys. "Defendant Gagnon finally told plaintiff that he wanted her to take a Breathalyzer test," the complaint states.

"Defendant Gagnon told plaintiff that if she blew under the legal limit, he would

let her go.

"Defendant Gagnon next told plaintiff that if she blew over the legal limit, he

would take her to a hotel."

She claims Gagnon told her the Breathalyzer machine was at the station and that he would drive her. She says Gagnon had her ride in the front seat of his patrol car and did not call in his mileage to dispatch.

"While en route to the Manteno Police Department, defendant Gagnon removed

his penis from his pants," the complaint states.

"Defendant Gagnon made a remark to plaintiff regarding how she was going to

'gag on' his penis.

"Plaintiff performed oral sex on defendant Gagnon while defendant Gagnon

drove to the Manteno Police Department."

At the station, Pyles says, she blew over the legal limit. When the results came back, Gagnon asked her she wanted to go to a hotel with him. This made Forbes laugh, Pyle says in the complaint.

"Defendant Gagnon then sexually assaulted plaintiff," the complaint states. "Plaintiff did not consent to the unwanted sexual contact, and defendant Gagnon was aware that plaintiff did not consent.

"Defendant Forbes had an opportunity to intervene and prevent the sexual assault on plaintiff by his partner, but failed to do so.

"Plaintiff told defendant Gagnon to stop assaulting her, and he finally did.

"Defendant Gagnon transported plaintiff back to the gas station and returned

plaintiff's car keys to her, even though he knew she was intoxicated.

"Defendant Gagnon left the scene and allowed plaintiff to drive away."

Pyles said she reported the assault and went to the hospital where a rape kit was administered. She claims Monroe talked to her the next morning and started an investigation into the attack.

Pyles claims Monroe did not take her accusation seriously and tired to cover it up.

On Dec. 15, 2011, Monroe testified before a grand jury that DNA from Pyles' rape kit excluded anything from Gagnon or Forbes, the complaint states. The next day, Pyles was indicted on two felony counts of disorderly conduct.

"On February 21, 2012, defendant Monroe received a report from the Illinois

State Police Division of Forensic Services that indicated plaintiff's DNA was found on

defendant Gagnon's underwear," the complaint states.

"Upon information and belief, defendant Monroe did not share this report with

the assistant state's attorney that was prosecuting plaintiff for the two felonies.

"At the time defendant Monroe received the February 21, 2012 report, plaintiff

had still not been arraigned on the two felony counts."

Despite this knowledge, Monroe forced Pyles - who had since relocated to California - to travel back to Illinois for a formal reading of the charges on April 30, 2012, Pyles says in the complaint.

" On October 11, 2012, Defendant Monroe appeared a second time before the

Grand Jury of Kankakee County," the complaint states.

"Defendant Monroe again testified at the Grand Jury how the DNA found in the

rape kit performed on plaintiff excluded defendants Gagnon and Forbes.

"At this Grand Jury, however, defendant Monroe never testified about the DNA

test of defendant Gagnon's underwear. At this Grand Jury, defendant Monroe had already received the February 21, 2012 report that indicated that plaintiff's DNA was in fact discovered on defendant Gagnon's underwear."

Pyles claims the charges against her were dropped after her defense attorney found the DNA test results.

She seeks actual and punitive damages for unreasonable search and seizure, failure to intervene, malicious prosecution, and constitutional violations.

She is represented by Louis J. Meyer, with Meyer & Kiss, of Peoria.

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