South Cook News

An Aurora man now faces felony charges after allegedly making threats against Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune.

Steven Woletz, 46, from the 100 block of Jason Court, faces one felony count of threatening a public official after he allegedly called the Governor’s Office of Constituent Affairs on April 15 and left a message in which he threatened to kill Pritzker and Pritzker's mother, the Tribune reported on May 4.

“The Illinois State Police take threats against all public officials and the safety of the democratic process very seriously,” Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said in a statement. “Being in public service does not give permission to anyone to threaten the lives of public officials or their family.”

According to state police, Woletz was taken into custody and is now free after posting $100,000 bail. He is due back in court on May 22, and has been ordered to stay away from Pritzker and his family and to undergo alcohol-use monitoring, the Tribune reported.

In his message, state police said, Woletz told Pritzker "I'm going to... kill you," Along with several slurs and insults. The charge is a class 3 felony, state police reported.

Last year, a Chicago man was charged with leaving a threatening voicemail for state Sen. Darren Bailey, who ran against Pritzker last year, according to WTTW. A Michigan man was also charged in late 2022 after he allegedly wrote a message threatening to shoot Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

“For government to function properly, public officials must be allowed to perform their jobs without having to worry about retribution or fear for their personal safety,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “My office stands ready to prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, anyone who threatens a public official, their staff or their family.”