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New lawsuits claim 'code of silence' allowed CPD to falsify search warrants
Two new lawsuits are targeting the city of Chicago, recently convicted police officers, and other officers with CPD.
CHICAGO - Two new lawsuits are targeting the city of Chicago, recently convicted police officers, and other officers with CPD.
The suits allege there was a code of silence that allowed the officers to hold kids at gunpoint, ransack apartments and falsify search warrants.
The two victims -- Irene Simmons and Micaela Cruz -- say Sgt. Xavier Elizondo and former officer David Salgado used fake search warrants to conduct illegal home invasions in 2017 and as recent as January 2019.
The women allege their homes were ransacked, drugs were planted on them and charges were falsified. In one case, Cruz says her young children were held at gunpoint.
Elizondo and Salgado were relieved of police powers in early 2018 as the allegations of their corruption began to surface. Charges were dropped against at least 37 people whose cases were connected to the officers, including both Simmons and Cruz.
In October 2019, Elizondo and Salgado were convicted of a federal conspiracy and theft charges stemming from their illegal activity.
Cruz says they came to her home twice and it was illegal.
“More for my children than myself. They can't even hear the knock on the door. They just fear the police,” Cruz said.
Both Elizondo and Salgado will be sentenced on February 4.