Round Lake Heights settles with ex-officer who claimed police chief sexually harassed him
Round Lake Heights has agreed to pay $95,000 as part of a now-settled federal lawsuit filed by a former village police officer who claimed he was improperly fired after refusing repeated sexual advances from Chief John Roehlk, documents show.
Both sides settled and formally ended Hossein "Sam" Isbitan's lawsuit against the village and Roehlk, according to documents filed in February in U.S. District Court. The village and Roehlk denied Isbitan's accusations in the suit that was filed in December 2014.
What was called a confidential settlement agreement between the village, Roehlk and Isbitan was obtained through a Daily Herald open-records request.
Round Lake Heights, without admitting fault, agreed to pay $56,288.80 in compensatory damages to Isbitan, the agreement shows. He was scheduled to receive the money in two separate payments this year, according to the documents.
Isbitan's attorney, Torreya Hamilton, explained Thursday why her client was willing to settle.
"Sam wanted to move on with his life and the settlement compensated him for his lost wages and his other damages," Hamilton said. "He is now an officer with the federal reserve and is doing very well."
Round Lake Heights will pay Hamilton $38,711.20 for attorney fees, under the lawsuit settlement signed by Roehlk and Mayor Terrence Lumpkins on Dec. 4, 2015.
The total settlement is $95,000 with the payments to Hamilton and Isbitan,
Lumpkins and Roehlk did not return messages seeking comment.
Roehlk, promoted from sergeant to chief in 2011, and the village were hit by Isbitan's federal lawsuit Dec. 30, 2014. Isbitan, 32, a former Lake County sheriff's deputy, sought unspecified monetary damages for sexual discrimination, workplace harassment, wrongful termination and other allegations.
In part, documents filed in U.S. District Court by defense attorneys stated Roehlk fired Isbitan on Aug. 12, 2014, only because he was not "fitting in" at the Round Lake Heights department.
Among the claims Roehlk denied were that he told Isbitan he was "looking sexy" and "hot" shortly after the officer was hired in November 2013, according to court documents. Roehlk also refuted an accusation he rubbed Isbitan's back and shoulders in the presence of others at a holiday party at the Round Lake Heights police station in late December 2013.
Text messages from Roehlk that became part of the complaint described Isbitan as a "stud," "stud muffin" and "rock star." On one occasion, Roehlk sent a photo of a heart-shaped piece of pink candy with a message emblazoned: "I (expletive) LOVE YOU."
While Roehlk admitted texting Isbitan, the chief and village contended the messages were not presented in the proper context in Isbitan's suit.
Under the settlement, Round Lake Heights and Roehlk agreed to provide a neutral job reference for Isbitan. The agreement states Isbitan is not eligible to be rehired by Round Lake Heights.
The village so far has paid $8,039 in legal bills connected to the lawsuit, according to village documents.