CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A Chester Township police officer has been arrested and charged with sexual battery, a third-degree felony, according to the Geauga County Sheriff's Office.
Officer Nicholas J. Iacampo was arrested after "serious" allegations were made against him involving a teenage complainant while the officer was on duty, according to officials.
The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Chester Township Police Department on Aug. 6 when they first received the allegations, which initiated an immediate investigation. Chester Township Police Chief Craig Young told News 5 a 16-year-old girl reported an isolated incident that happened on Aug. 6 at a local church, which lead to the sexual battery charge.
According to Chester Township Police, Iacampo had been with the department for four years and did not usually patrol the schools.
"Nicholas Iacampo was a road patrol officer that was assigned to the second half of the school season at West Geauga schools. Our main SRO was out on medical leave. So we assigned Nick in that role through the end of the school year," said Young.
He added that the resource officer on campus would usually have an office and work with the administration, teachers and students to ensure a safe campus.
"He provides obvious police protection, handles all investigations, but it's really about protecting that faculty and the administration and the students at the school," said Young.
When Young learned about the allegations, he was shocked that it was one of his officers.
"It's disappointing to me. It's disappointing to the fine officers that work here, and this should not be a reflection on the work that this office has done and what these officers do, and I really can't say that enough," Young said. "We really truly reinforce our core values, our mission statement, the fact that integrity above all else and that we're held to a higher standard."
Young also understands how something like this impacts the community and the trust they have in the department. They are cooperating with the investigation in every way they can while also working with the school to ensure this does not happen again.
"We have vetted each and every individual and specifically selected them for the roles that they're going to be in and that they are there for a purpose. They're there to work with the school, to work for us and to do the job that we hired them to do, and I will continue to reinforce that, and I can assure the school and the residents here that they are going to have the best quality police protection in that school and in this community they could ever ask," said Chief Young.
The Chester Township Police Department collaborated with the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office and requested assistance from the Lake County Sheriff's Office. The Lake County Sheriff's Office is conducting the investigation that led to Iacampo being taken into custody.
He was transported to the Geauga County Jail.
Iacampo was placed on immediate administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation by the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
At the request of the Geauga County Prosecutor, the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas has appointed Lake County Prosecuting Attorney Charles Coulson as the special prosecutor for the case.
News 5 also reached out to the Lake County Sheriff’s office, West Geauga schools and Iacampo's attorney, who did not comment on the investigation.
Additional information will be released as the investigation continues.
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