A recently filed lawsuit accuses a private security company owned by Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison of sexual assault and negligent supervision involving a former employee.
The intentional tort lawsuit, filed on January 30, 2025, and amended on September 5, accuses Andrew Holmes, who was working at the time as an investigator with Morrison Security Corporation, of sexually assaulting Asha Gant when she was 16, shortly after MSC helped rescue her from human trafficking.
According to the complaint, Holmes gained Gant’s trust during a 2014 rescue operation conducted by MSC. In 2015, under the guise of checking on her well-being and discussing her potential as an informant, Holmes took Gant on a drive, offered her marijuana, and then forced her to perform oral sex before raping her at a motel near Lincoln Avenue. Gant’s attorneys say she was unable to consent due to her age and trauma history.
Holmes did not respond to calls for comment.
The lawsuit also targets Morrison Security for negligent retention and supervision, alleging the company ignored prior warnings about Holmes’s inappropriate behavior toward minors. Another MSC employee reportedly flagged Holmes to company president Morrison as unfit to work unsupervised with young women. The complaint contends MSC’s failure to act led directly to Gant’s injuries.
“Basically, my comment is this is completely meritless, unrelated to my company and unrelated to me personally,” Morrison said Friday.
“And I think it’s nothing more than a political shakedown. And I find it offensive,” Morrison said.
“It’s 100 percent allegations,” Morrison added regarding the lawsuit.
Morrison’s corporate attorney, Lawrence S. Staat, was contacted at his office and was asked about the lawsuit.
“I’m not aware of anything about that. I can’t help you,” Staat said. “I never heard about it. I’m sorry. I don’t care to know.”
A hearing on the complaint is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, before Judge Michael Otto in Room 2208 at the Richard J. Daley Center.
Related Allegations, Controversies
Morrison Security Corporation is headquartered in Alsip and is owned by Morrison of Palos Park,, who also serves as a Cook County Commissioner.
Holmes, a community activist, and Morrison have a personal connection
In 2015, NBC 5 Chicago reported that Morrison offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the shooting death of Andrew Holmes’s daughter, Tamara Sword.
“Andrew Holmes has done so much for so many people,” Morrison said at the time. “It’s time for the community to support him and his family in their time of need. We will stand with them every step of the way until justice prevails.”
Morrison Security Corporation has faced scrutiny before over employee conduct and management decisions.
Holmes has faced separate allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2024, a civil suit accused him of sexually assaulting a Dolton village employee during a May 2023 business trip to Las Vegas. That case also alleged retaliation by Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Las Vegas police closed the criminal investigation in October 2024 without filing charges, but the civil lawsuit remains pending. Following those allegations, Holmes was reportedly terminated from his position with Chicago Survivors, a crisis response organization.
Morrison Security itself has a history of controversy. In 2013, Anthony Martin, then a senior vice president at MSC, was arrested on solicitation charges involving a minor.
Commissioner Morrison publicly defended the company’s handling of that case in 2018, stating there had been no prior indication of wrongdoing. The company and Morrison have also appeared in other legal dockets, including a 2014 federal case listing MSC and Morrison among defendants.
The Gant lawsuit raises questions about oversight and accountability in private security firms working with vulnerable populations, particularly minors recovering from trafficking. The negligent retention claim against Morrison Security highlights concerns over employee vetting and supervision.
“Employers have a duty to act reasonably in hiring and retaining employees,” the complaint states, noting prior warnings about Holmes’s conduct were ignored. Gant’s attorneys argue this failure allowed Holmes to exploit his position and caused lasting psychological harm.
The case is set for jury trial, with damages sought exceeding $50,000. Neither Morrison Security nor Holmes has issued a public statement regarding the new lawsuit.
Morrison Security’s past controversy
Morrison Security Corporation, owned by Cook County Commissioner Sean M. Morrison, has faced intense scrutiny in the past over employee misconduct.
In 2013, Anthony Martin, then a senior vice president overseeing hundreds of employees, was arrested by Orland Park police after sending sexually explicit texts to a 14-year-old girl he met at a company pool party.
Despite encouraging prosecutors to pursue charges against Martin, Sean Morrison did not immediately terminate him.
Morrison cited legal advice warning that Martin could sue the company for wrongful termination.
In fact, in October 2014, while Martin’s case was still pending, Morrison signed a letter to a judge describing Martin as “instrumental” to the company and requested permission for him to travel on business.
Less than three weeks later, Martin was arrested again—this time in Colorado—after attempting to meet what he believed was another 14-year-old girl, who was actually an undercover officer. Following this second arrest, Morrison promptly fired Martin.
Martin was eventually sentenced to three years in prison in Illinois and received a suspended six-year sentence in Colorado. Throughout the controversy, Sean Morrison defended his handling of the situation, emphasizing that he supported prosecution efforts, delayed firing based on legal counsel, and personally assisted law enforcement in Martin’s final arrest.
Why do we have such trash in these powerful positions all around us?