Ezekiel Lopez is a registered child sexual predator in Illinois who spent more than three years in prison for sexually abusing two teenage girls under his care.
The conviction was not a barrier between Lopez and more than $700,000 in federal contracts to provide cleaning and janitorial services to help fight COVID-19 at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital just outside Chicago.
No rules specifically prevented it.
Government contractors are supposed to indicate on their applications whether they’ve had any felony convictions within the past two years. But Lopez was convicted in 2007.
The federal government can ban vendors convicted of fraud or other procurement violations from future contracts, usually for up to three years. But that debarment does not include sex crimes.
As a result neither Lopez nor his company, America’s Best at Work – which offers auto tire distribution as well as janitorial services – appeared on any list of parties excluded from Department of Veterans Affairs contracting.
VA spokeswoman Christina Noel said the company met the criteria to become a vendor under federal law, which includes being deemed “responsible” through its registration with the System for Award Management. The vendor also was in good standing with the federal government’s database for “performance and integrity.”
But days after USA TODAY began questioning the agency about Lopez’s background, the VA hospital changed course, ending its relationship with the business as of July 23.
Candace Oliva, a health systems specialist to the hospital director, said in an email that “nothing questionable” had turned up in the vendor’s two-year background check. But “after discovering this particular issue, Hines VA Hospital terminated its relationship with the contractor.”
Lopez did not respond to several calls and emails seeking comment for this story. A voice mailbox for the number listed for his company was full.
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“It’s disturbing,” Burton said. “Especially if it’s a small business, you want to look at the business owner and whether they are responsible.”
But industry trade groups have worked with various programs in the past to help train certain inmates. And the “ban the box” movement across the U.S. has emphasized giving offenders a second chance at meaningful work after their release back to society to help lower crime and prevent recidivism.
Jill Levenson, a professor at Barry University in Miami who studies how society monitors and treats sex criminals, said laws designed to protect the public need to be balanced with a past offender’s ability to find work and support themselves.
“It all has to be weighed and balanced,” Levenson said. “People have to work. When people have been incarcerated or committed a crime, the expectation is they go back into society, be acclimated and be law-abiding … employment is a tough one.”
Commentary by Guy Hamilton-Smith
I hope he sues the VA and win, I’m in the same line of business it’s how I make a living but I don’t put my name/address on the company so this situation doesn’t happen.
Sad that he is at a loss because of the registry.
USA Today is good for wiping your hands with if you run out of paper towels. The guy managed his crew and had integrity performance without an issues; but lost a contract because someone couldn’t keep their nose out of his business. Media needs to stop the bullcrap stories and keep their stench to themselves.
Guy Hamilton-Smith has a few choice words to say about this vigilante economic lynching: https://littlereddots.substack.com/p/good-morning-i-am-full-of-rage
I sent an email to the journalist and the USA Today editor lambasting this article; which I thought was not even newsworthy. Oh boy a registrant has a job and their in charge of other people at a VA hospital. Shouldn’t society want people to live law abiding lives after probation, parole or prison is over? I guess not in the minds of the true monsters: people that stick their noses in others business and should know curiosity killed the cat. With all the added punishment someday the courts will have to overturn Smith vs. Doe.
Emails to USA Today are in order…https://marketing.usatoday.com/contact-us
This is further proof that the Registry IS punitive beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Robin at the National office has a good editorial on this article for your reading leisure: https://narsol.org/2020/08/usatoday-favors-restrictions-on-felons-access-to-federal-contracts/#post-75167
Isn’t the point of succeeding past a previous mistake in life in showing you can succeed why the American dreams exists (or supposed to or maybe once did)?
Good investigative journalism by USA Today!!
I’m tempted to think this country needs to know what a MILLION PLUS collective faces looks like. Being a submissive victim of the playground bully has gone on long enough. Perhaps seeing the size of our number would give pause to some of this foolishness.
A huge key fact that has not been mentioned thus far is that this man was in a Major position of trust and caring for these little girls – not one but TWO… He was their Stepfather! And these were Not isolated incidents. The actual reports I obtained and his admissions state there was Penetration with his genitalia. Anyone who knows anything about working with sexual assault and rape victims knows that they never never recover and this affects all areas of normal maturation throughout their teenage years as well as their entire lives! Hence the correct classification for this individual as being a Predator! Getting away with just a few months of incarceration after ruining 2 little girls lives… Horrible!
Not only is this man putting in an honest day’s backbreaking work and doing his best to stay out, he is employing people when there aren’t that many jobs available. I do not envy the reporter if this is how she makes her money.
@suzie
“Even the most Elementary individuals know that Sexual Abuse 101 dictates these are NOT the first timeS, meaning YEARS & generally will not be the last times. This Predator has already admitted so many horrific details and all he cared about was his few seconds of animalistic Power & Control over little girls. I’m certain as is also customary with sexual rapists, he was extremely Unsuccessful in relationships with Real Women & suffered from Manhood sexual performance inabilities!”
Rather, I would hope that even the most elementary individuals could see through this simplistic explanation for complex issues complete with future forecasts and predictions.
You know a lot can happen during our formative years growing up. Even Suzie has some interesting things one should understand. She is right and coming from a woman’s prospective one should understand. Sure one can talk about behavior means or responsiblities but many times one should let old embers die.
While Suzie talked about trust and it is about trust and also honesty. What happened 15 or so years ago should be left alone. While authorities seem to do their job it seems they press the issue a bit to far. I mean they will send one off to war to kill. Its as if whatever happened to Baby Jane and even that story line was a dramatic drama and a thriller chiller.
Seems today PO’s or authorities want to track evey spotless blemish one has and with this registry it seems a bit unbalanced or who is carnal by nature today. Authorities appear, even if one is on probation, to ask questions but we all still have our liberty to speak or not to speak. Whether one is found guilty, takes a plea deal or whatever means authorites will hound you with all sort’s of outlandish laws today.
People seem to want to prive and prove to get any dirt on another they can. I’m sure that happens in PO offices all over the USA with this type of offense. But one has to ask one’s self who is badgering to lead another astray. Were they not doing that to set one up.
Course their are many different offenses in the sex category. One wonders if brow beating is an offense today. I have nothing against woman and kids myself but they can we all have a responsiblity. We all learn lessons but with government it seems one has to be spotless and squeaky clean for any government position. Kind of uncanny wouldn’t you think.
@AJ and others. I would like to make one statement if I may. Conditioning is a process. Didn’t someone say on here those without sin cast the first stone. Now Suzie has a good point. While people tend to struggle with issues its all about correction and humans understanding the issues at hand.
Did not Paul say in the bible he was the chief sinner. Oh but thats in the bible. Actually truth is stranger than fiction in many ways. Myself and I’m sure others look at a lot of this sex offense or registry ordeal as a throwback or a conditioning method in many ways. Sure defending justice is good but when one dissuades or persuades another as in many of these encounters via this sex topic than things can get a bit out of hand.
God is a God of justice or why do you think Jesus came. Sure Suzie is right in many respects and its just like the person drinking themselves to death or doing drugs back in the the 60’s and 70’s. I’m sort of glad Suzie brought this to everyone’s attention as one should tend to look on the positive side of things.
Life is no picnic and yes I took criminal justice courses in college and rehiblitation is a good thing if one wants to rehabilitate themself. So Suzie with due respect I welcome your view on this two wrongs don’t make a right ordeal in many of these offender issues that many face on here.