Woman Confronted By Rapist At Target Store; Man Convicted Of Rape Working As Security Guard

NBC5 ^ | 2.16.05

[ambrose]

NBC5.com

Woman Confronted By Rapist At Target Store

Man Convicted Of Rape Working As Security Guard

POSTED: 12:09 pm CST February 16,

2005

UPDATED: 7:52 pm CST February 16,

2005

CHICAGO -- A woman shopping at a Chicago Target store was confronted Monday by the man who raped her almost a decade ago.

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Video: Rape Victim: Attacker Hired As Security Guard

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Chicago Sun-Times

Andre Johnson was working as a security guard at the Target store on Roosevelt Road.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday that the convicted rapist, Andre Johnson, was working as a security guard at the Target at 1154 S. Clark St.

Chicago police said the woman was a vendor doing business at the Target store when she encountered the man who raped her eight years ago in Indiana.

In the recent incident, Johnson reportedly followed the woman around the store, demanding to know her name. When she refused, Johnson allegedly followed her out to her car and wrote down her license plate number.

Police arrested Johnson at the store Monday and charged him with misdemeanor assault and failing to register in Illinois as a convicted sex offender.

Johnson claimed that he thought the woman was a shoplifter. He has since been fired from Target.

Indiana authorities said that in May 2000, Johnson was sentenced to eight years in prison for the 1997 rape. He was released in February 2004 due to good time credit, NBC5's Jennifer Mitchell reported.

Rape victim advocate Sasha Walters said that even if Johnson had registered with authorities in Illinois, there are no state statutes that would have precluded him from becoming a security guard. She said potential employers need to be better at screening applicants.

"You can't tell by looking at someone," she said. "You really need to ask questions and do the research and say, 'Is this person a sex offender, and does this mean enough to me to not to hire them in order to protect my clients?'"

Officials with Target released this statement Wednesday: "We are appalled to learn of this isolated incident and immediately terminated the team member. Target conducts background checks on all team members. We are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this employee."

Johnson remained behind bars Wednesday in Cook County Jail on $125,000 bond. He is due back in court on Feb. 28.

Copyright 2005 by NBC5.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[STARWISE]

"You can't tell by looking at someone," she said. "You really need to ask questions and do the research and say, 'Is this person a sex offender, and does this mean enough to me to not to hire them in order to protect my clients?'"

What an idiot!

[TexasTransplant]

He raped her, did time for it and didn't remember her name?
He isn't reformed, he is a recidivist time bomb.

This guy gives crap a bad name.

[cyborg]

Sounds to me like Illinois need better standards for security guard checks. How did he even get the license?

[WorkingClassFilth]

This woman better get herself some hardware. If I have to read the last chapter in her story here and I want to read a happy ending.

[cherry]

she was trying to be politically correct.....can't blame her for dancing around the question....

[cyborg]

How is that being PC? If you have figured out a way to look at a man and tell if he's a rapist, please let us girls know.

[TexasTransplant]

Hey it was Security Guard or Taxi Driver, whats a Parolee supposed to do?

Does Mexico need a few Melon Pickers? I think it is about time we returned the favor.

Hey Vincente a gift, from the US to you, pumped and ready, newly released rapists and murderers.

Hey one can dream eh?

[Doohickey]

The gall of these places! Giving ex-cons jobs!

[Lijahsbubbe]

What a double nightmare!

[cyborg]

I see your point. Given what happens to some unsuspecting tourists there, I can only imagine.

[Texas_Jarhead]

but what about the whole,"paid his debt to society" angle...??

[Doohickey]

"You can't tell by looking at someone," she said. "You really need to ask questions and do the research and say, 'Is this person a sex offender, and does this mean enough to me to not to hire them in order to protect my clients?'"

I'm truly, deeply sorry you were raped by this scumbag. But, he's not there to protect clientele. He's there to protect merchandise.

[STARWISE]

You can't tell by looking at someone," she said. "You really need to ask questions and do the research and say, 'Is this person a sex offender, and does this mean enough to me to not to hire them in order to protect my clients?'"

You think a responsible employer is going to take that stupid and risky a position about their liability??

[PistolPaknMama]

If you have figured out a way to look at a man and tell if he's a rapist, please let us girls know.

If you get an answer, please ping me! /holding breath

I can't imagine how this woman felt being stalked in the store by this low life. Hope she is doing well, and hope he rots.

[cyborg]

Yep rape is an awful experience. I hope I never have to relieve it as an adult woman ever. I hope she able to get along in life eventually.

[Tax Government]

Isn't assault an attempt to achieve bodily harm? Is that what happened here?

[Tax Government]

Or to threaten bodily harm?

[maine-iac7]

released in February 2004 due to good time credit

I really get fuming when I hear this - "good behavior?" Like, while he was in prison, he didn't rape any woman?

She must be frightened to death - he followed her to her car and got her license no. - and now he's been fired, for which he will blame her - (it's never their own fault) -

[dandelion]

Man alive - talk about liability! Here in Texas, you have to pass a background check to get your certification for security guard - AND with our company, you can have NO criminal record. I can't believe they don't have higher standards in Illinois...