Former Chicago cop indicted on federal civil rights charge

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

James Sajdak, 64, of Chicago, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charge is punishable by up to life in federal prison.

He allegedly attacked the victim on March 5, 2019.

Sajdak pleaded not guilty during his arraignment.

“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.

The 29-year veteran resigned from the Chicago Police Department the following month, the department said.

Sajdak and the city of Chicago also face a federal lawsuit from the incident, WBBM-TV reported.

Tyshee Featherstone, a transgender woman, sued Sajdak and the city in 2019, accusing Sajdak of sexually assaulting her. The lawsuit accuses Sajdak of approaching her and demanding a sex act.

The lawsuit also claims the city “knew or was recklessly blind to” a pattern of misconduct by Sadjak. It says Sadjak had faced at least 44 misconduct complaints by 2019.