Former Illinois Department of Agriculture investigator sentenced for groping women, lying under oath

CHICAGO - A former investigator for the Illinois Department of Agriculture was sentenced to federal prison for groping several women while on duty as well as lying under oath about it during an official proceeding.

Jose Guillen, 43, of Melrose Park, pleaded guilty last year to obstruction of justice. 

Prosecutors said Guillen inappropriately touched and groped female operators of animal care facilities that he inspected for the State of Illinois.

As a state investigator, Guillen had the power to influence whether an animal care facility received a license to operate and whether it could continue in operation after receiving the license.

When one of the victims filed a civil lawsuit against Guillen, prosecutors say he lied under oath during a deposition in the case. He stated that he touched the victim's buttocks by accident.

In a plea agreement, Guillen admitted that he "intentionally touched [the victim's] buttocks for purposes of his sexual gratification." He also admitted that he lied in his deposition when he denied having inappropriately touched four other animal care facility operators.

"None of these women consented to the defendant’s lecherous advances," Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu and Diane MacArthur argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  "It was only when confronted by a series of accusers who were brave enough to step forward to put a stop to his misconduct that the defendant capitulated and accepted responsibility for his serial wrongdoing by pleading guilty."

A judge imposed a year-and-a-day sentence during a hearing on Wednesday.