Former Illinois State Inspector Jose Guillen Had Sexual Harassment Training, But Was Still Caught On Camera Groping Doggy Daycare Owner

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Jose Guillen was the state inspector caught on camera groping a doggy daycare owner in Bucktown – and he was fired after CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey broke the story last year.

Guillen later claimed the victim gave him "nonverbal consent." But we now have more proof that he should have known better.

We reviewed the sexual harassment training requirements Guillen was required to take to work for the state.

It's spelled out in black and white that his actions caught on camera, and described by multiple female victims, violated the Illinois Human Rights Act.
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Guillen, a former inspector with the Illinois Department of Agriculture Inspector, claimed in a deposition that he had "nonverbal consent" to touch doggy daycare owner Leah Bindig — because she was "smiling" at him.

He also claimed she "made the first move" - even though the raw surveillance video shows otherwise.

"Nonverbal consent, it doesn't exist with everybody - just in this instance," Guillen said in the deposition.

Guillen was caught on surveillance cameras inside Bindig's business during a mandatory inspection in 2019, when he was spotted touching her against her will. He was seen touching her shoulders, back, and rear end – and pressing himself up against her while holding the results of her inspection over her.

"He's holding the clipboard as he's hugging me, and it's not signed off that we passed - and I'm like, what do I do? What do I do? Tell him to stop?" Nindig said last year.

After our story about what happened with Bindig aired, Guillen was fired. And within hours, several other women came forward with similar accounts of groping and inappropriate comments made during their inspections.

"I knew it was wrong, but he had all the power," said "Kate," an animal rescue owner and retired Chicago Police officer. "He controlled whether or not I got the license."

It turns out every single state employee is required to take harassment and discrimination prevention training. The training Guillen took explicitly bans "deliberate touching, leaning over, or cornering" – like his actions as described by the women who talked with us.

"He shook my hand, pulled me in, and then the hand went from the middle of my back to the top - and then went down to my rear end," Magda Szymczyk, owner of Gypsy Cats NFP Inc. Feline Sanctuary, told us in July.

The training also bans "Sexual teasing, jokes, remarks, or questions" - which several victims also reported.

"I told you already – I accidentally had my hand, like it went in that direction," Guillen said in explaining the touching in the edposition.

Last month, we learned that the Cook County State's Attorney's office was declining to press felony charges in this case - but many of the victims believe State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office should reconsider.

They also say this is further proof that Guillen should have known his actions were wrong.

We've reached out to Guillen for comment several times, and we've also reached out to his attorney. Both have declined to comment.

There is still a pending civil case against him. We'll keep following up.