A former Lakewood security guard and community service supervisor was fired after being indicted Tuesday on kidnapping and sexual assault charges.
Jose R. Alvelo is charged with three counts of kidnapping and gross sexual imposition and one count of bribery for allegedly assaulting a woman while being an employee of the city of Lakewood, according to a news release and Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court records.
The incident occurred November 3, 2016, while Alvelo was supervising the woman during court-ordered community service. Throughout the day Alvelo drove the woman, three men and another woman to pick up garbage, records say.
Alvelo, 68, grabbed the woman's breast and pinched her nipple over her T-shirt, rubbed her private area over her clothing and forced his groin into her buttocks while they were both clothed.
He also gave the woman a pair of underwear that he told her to wear on her next day of work. The underwear had Alvelo's DNA on them, court documents said.
The incident occurred away from the other workers in a parking lot on Detroit Avenue.
Alvelo was hired by the city of Lakewood as part-time school crossing guard in 2010. He was then hired as a security guard and community service supervisor in 2013. He was fired Tuesday after being on paid administrative leave since the incident.
"Mr. Alvelo’s behavior is not representative of the city workforce into whom the citizens of Lakewood place their trust,” Mayor Michael P. Summers said in a press release. “We appreciate the diligent work of the Lakewood police and the county prosecutors in bringing the case to the grand jury and giving the victim an opportunity for justice.”
Alvelo is scheduled to appear in court March 14 for an arraignment.
"One of the allegations made was that our community service supervisor had offered some reduced workload to the victim in exchange for sexual gratification," said Lakewood Police Captain Gary Sprague.
"I think it's important to note that if she did not come forward this could have been an ongoing issue, so we are very grateful she did come forward with information," Sprague added.
"Alvelo was terminated Tuesday when we found out about his indictment,". said Lakewood aw Director Kevin Butler.
Alvelo is scheduled to be arraigned in court March 17.
