Former Chicago cop allegedly kidnapped, sexually abused victim while on duty: indictment

A former Chicago police officer has been indicted on a federal civil rights charge for allegedly kidnapping and sexually abusing someone while on duty.    

James Sajdak, 64, of Chicago has been charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.

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On March 5, 2019, Sajdak allegedly kidnapped and sexually abused a victim.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday. The 29-year veteran resigned from the Chicago Police Department as a sergeant in April 2019, according to CPD.

"Sgt. Sajdak served the city of Chicago for over 30 years, and we look forward to confronting the evidence," Timothy Grace, Sajdak’s defense attorney, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Sajdak also faced a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Tyshee Featherstone, a transgender female, alleging Sajdak sexually assaulted her the same day.

Featherstone’s complaint was settled in April 2020, records show. Her attorney could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit alleged Featherstone was approached at Fifth and Cicero avenues by an officer, later identified as Sajdak, who asked "What was she doing here?"

Sajdak allegedly told Featherstone she had no choice but to perform a sex act on him "because that’s what you do, or you will go to jail."

Sajdak allegedly ordered Featherstone into the front passenger seat of his police vehicle, and drove to Kostner Avenue and Lexington Street where he ordered Featherstone to give him her phone number, according to the complaint. He said he frequented the area and that Featherstone would become one of his regulars, the lawsuit alleged.

Sajdak then closed the cover of his police computer, exposed himself and demanded that Featherstone perform a sexual act, according to the lawsuit. Featherstone complied out of fear and was left in an alley by Sajdak, it said.

Featherstone spit what she believed to include semen into a bottle, and a friend took her to Rush hospital, the lawsuit alleged.

That lawsuit also alleged that 44 complaints had been lodged against Sajdak as of 2019 and that the city in 1997 sustained a complaint against him involving the sale or possession of illegal drugs. The result was a 30-day suspension, the lawsuit said.

Sajdak was accused of harassment in a separate lawsuit filed by Geneva Perry, who alleged Sajdak pulled over her vehicle on Sept. 8, 2016, at St. Louis Avenue and Roosevelt Road and ordered her to follow him to Homan Avenue and Roosevelt. Sajdak then masturbated in front of her between their two parked cars, according to Perry’s lawsuit.

That lawsuit was settled in December 2019, records show.

A status hearing is scheduled for Oct. 12.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.