This browser does not support the Video element.
Lawsuit filed against CPS, former security guard accused of raping student
A new lawsuit claims a Chicago Public Schools security guard who was charged with raping a 15-year-old student should never have been hired.
CHICAGO - He had 16 arrests over 20 years but was still able to land a job as a Chicago Public Schools security guard.
And while working security at Farragut Career Academy, Romel Campoverde was charged with allegedly raping a 15-year-old female student.
Now, that former student is suing CPS, alleging the district failed to conduct a proper background check.
What we know:
The explosive allegations are contained in a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday against CPS and the former security guard, who is still awaiting trial.
The attorney for the now 18-year-old victim said CPS failed to follow through on its own background check policies.
"They dropped the ball. They were lazy," said attorney Mark Brown, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of "Jane Doe."
Romel Campoverde (Provided to Fox 32)
In July 2023, Romel Campoverde, 45, was charged with 11 counts of sexual assault for allegedly raping a then-15-year-old female student at Farragut, where Campoverde was employed as a security guard.
"It started when she was a freshman. It started with grooming behaviors," said Brown. "It started with ‘Let’s text.'"
Chicago police said during one of the meetups, Campoverde gave the girl six alcoholic drinks, then sexually assaulted her in the back of his RV.
Brown said she is still living with the trauma of that attack.
"She's really going through a difficult time. She still has nightmares and flashbacks of what happened," Brown said.
The backstory:
In the lawsuit filed Tuesday, the former student says Campoverde had an extensive criminal history and never should have been hired in the first place.
Her attorney provided Fox 32 with copies of 16 police reports from between 2000 and 2020 in which Campoverde was charged with multiple crimes, including battery and aggravated assault with a weapon. All of the charges occurred before he was hired as a security guard by CPS.
"In some of the police reports, in one of them we saw Mr. Campoverde was a self-admitted street gang member of the Satan Disciples. In another (Freedom of Information) request we found from CPD, that he was a documented gang member," said Brown.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Ex-Chicago Public Schools student says she was raped by security guard with 16 prior arrests
He had 16 arrests over 20 years but was still able to land a job as a Chicago Public Schools security guard. And while working security at Farragut Career Academy, Romel Campoverde was charged with allegedly raping a 15-year-old female student.
Brown said it's clear that in doing its background check on Campoverde, CPS only looked at his arrest record and the outcomes of the cases. Some of those cases were dismissed or pleaded down.
Brown said CPS never requested the underlying police reports or dug any deeper, which goes against the district's own background check policy.
"CPS hired a self-admitted gang member with a 20-year arrest history, 16 arrests, violent actions that he's taken against numerous people and he groomed and raped a 15-year-old girl. It's a travesty," said Brown.
What's next:
More than two years after Campoverde was initially charged, the case drags on. Campoverde is due in court for a status hearing at the end of the month.
A spokesperson for the district said CPS "...remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its students" but can't comment on pending litigation.