Custodian arrested for allegedly watching student shower

Mateusz Sokacz, 22. Provided by the River Forest Police.

By: Mary Stroka, Copy Editor

A maintenance staff member at Dominican was arrested for disorderly conduct after police alleged he was watching a female student shower in a residence hall bathroom on March 4.

The victim identified the suspect as Mateusz Sokacz, 22, who allegedly watched her “as she showered by looking over a wall that divides the showers,” a River Forest Police press release said.

Eurest Services immediately suspended and has since terminated  Sokacz, Rebecca Monroe, Director of Communications at Eurest Services said.

“He was also immediately barred from campus, his clearance was rescinded, and keys confiscated,” Monroe said.

Sokacz was initially employed by KIMCO and Eurest Services later bought out the company and Sokacz remained in employment.

“We will treat this seriously. All appropriate people were notified within 24 hours,” Senior Vice President for Administration in the Business Department at Dominican Amy McCormack said. “We consider this a very serious and unfortunate incident.”

“I would hope students would feel comfortable reporting any suspicious activity or uncomfortable situations,” McCormack said.

Sokacz, of the 3400 block of Laramie Avenue in Chicago, is scheduled to appear at the Maybrook courthouse April 15.

 

Child porn suspect investigation leads to weapons charges

Mark Gondolfo, 51. Provided by the River Forest Police.

By: Mary Stroka, Copy Editor

River Forest Police investigating reports of possible child pornography at the Dominican library arrested a Forest Park man on an unrelated gun charge on March 11, according to a River Forest Police press release.

Police said a Dominican security officer saw a man in his 50s on a computer looking at what the security officer believed was child pornography on the morning of Jan. 11.

Police later identified the man as Mark Gandolfo, 51.

Eighteen years on death row, Juan Melendez speaks about his unjust incarceration

Juan Melendez spoke at Dominican on Jan. 20. Credit: Anna Anguiano

By: Anna Anguiano

Seventeen years, eight months and one day is the time Juan Melendez spent in a Florida State Prison on death row. He was released on Jan. 3, 2002 with $100 and a pair of jeans after authorities found him innocent. Melendez stood in front of Dominican students on Jan. 20 to tell his story, spreading the message that the death penalty is unjust.

In 1984 Melendez was imprisoned for the murder of Delbert Baker, a cosmetology school owner. The evidence against him was based on testimonies that said he was at the location at the time of the murder. Although there was no physical evidence against him, he was sentenced to death two days after he was declared guilty.

Security finds man viewing child porn in the library

By: Mary Stroka

A Dominican University security officer found a male in his 50s on a computer in the Rebecca Crown Library at 8:15 a.m. Jan.12. When the subject saw the security officer, he jumped up and left the library.

Security checked the computer he was using and saw he had several pages of child pornography on the computer.

“Right now all we know is what we reported we saw,” Director of Security John Tsouchlos said. “We believe someone used a computer in the library to access child pornography. We contacted River Forest Police Department, and they are in the middle of an ongoing investigation.”