A Chicago Public Schools teacher was formally charged Wednesday with allegedly raping a friend after the pair drank wine while watching a basketball game last month.
Lewis Himes Jr., 41, was already intoxicated when he visited the woman’s south side home with a bottle of wine on May 28, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.
The woman, who had known Himes for the last two decades, figured Himes was too drunk to drive so she let him sleep at her house in the 1600 block of West 56th, Assistant State’s Attorney Christy Brewer said.
The following morning, Himes went into the woman’s bed and allegedly sexually assaulted her even though she asked him to stop and tried to escape, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Himes eventually left the 41-year-old’s residence, however he later sent the woman a text message admitting what he did and apologized for forcing her to have sex with him, Brewer said.
Himes, who told Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. he teaches 7th and 8th grade students at Turner Drew Language Academy, was arrested at work on Monday, in the 9300 block of South Princeton, according to a Chicago Police report.
Himes allegedly told officers, "How can it be rape? She was on top of me."
When Brewer detailed Himes’ past in court Wednesday and pointed out that he has a 2000 federal fraud conviction, a perplexed Bourgeois said, "So a convicted felon now teaches at the Chicago Public Schools?"
Defense attorney Dan Cheeks then told Bourgeois that the federal charge had been reduced to a misdemeanor. Bourgeois then spoke of Himes’ current criminal case, wondering if the school board would "take any action."
Himes, of the 900 block of E. 54th Street, was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 for criminal sexual assault.
Bourgeois ordered Himes to undergo electronic monitoring should he be able to post bond.
CPS spokeswoman Becky Carroll said the district was aware of the charges and had removed Himes from the classroom.
"We will follow any legal proceedings and take further action at the appropriate time as needed,” she said.
