Lawsuit: Berwyn police officer targeted lover's daughter, her boyfriend

BERWYN, Ill. (WLS) -- A federal lawsuit claims that a Berwyn police detective conspired with other officers to intimidate his lover's daughter and her boyfriend.

Vanessa Rodriguez filed the lawsuit alleging that Det. Karlas Robinzine, who was in relationship with her mother, worked to target her and her boyfriend with parking tickets and traffic stops and even an arrest when they allegedly called about a stolen license plate.

All because Rodriguez did not approve of the couple's relationship, the lawsuit claims.

She couldn't figure it out. Until, Rodriguez said, her son lost his phone and she gave him one she found in a box in her attic. The old cellphone was key to proving the conspiracy.

"It just hit me, 'Oh, this was my mom's old spare phone that she had given me' ... and he ended up finding all these pictures in her gallery," Rodriguez said.

Those pictures, the federal lawsuit claims, are of Det. Robinzine and her mother in steamy and sexual situations.

Then there were text messages.

In one, the lawsuit says, Rodriquez's mother texts the cop: "let's do this let's get Lito and Vanessa in jail. Let's take them down ... Once they're out of the picture then we work on me and you getting together."

The texts appear to show Robinzine confessing his love and agreeing to take action. In one text, he said: "Vanessa will always be your daughter" and "you simply can't (expletive) trust her. Now Camacho will be arrested soon."

Weeks later, Berwyn police showed up at the family's home and arrested Manuel Camacho for allegedly damaging property and Rodriquez for allegedly hitting an officer during her boyfriend's arrest. They deny the charges.

"If they went so far as to fabricate a story for their personal gain, what else can they do?" said Camacho, Rodriguez's boyfriend.

"She was an extra-marital affair and it's clear incentive for Detective Robinzine to do whatever he could to make this person happy," said Bill Delaney, Rodriguez's attorney.

A city of Berwyn spokesperson said an investigation is underway, but Robinzine remains on the job.

A city statement reads: "We have zero tolerance for police misconduct and we take any such allegations very seriously. We also believe firmly in the presumption of innocence."

Rodriguez said she can't believe her disapproval of her mom's affair ended like this.

"Hey, you did something to me and now I'm going to my lover and sick him on you? Now I've got the whole Berwyn Police Department on me," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez's mother could not be reached for comment. ABC7 visited her last known address.

Robinzine, reached at the phone number listed on the text messages, hung up when ABC7 asked for comment.