Cook County man accused of threatening school shooting, making threats to judges, the president

SYCAMORE – A Cook County man was charged Friday after allegedly calling the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office more than a dozen times, threatening to commit a school shooting or bombing, threatening to shoot a local circuit judge, and making threats against an Illinois Supreme Court justice and the president.

Jesse J. Christian, 28, of Des Plaines, also allegedly called an Aurora school and threatened an official there, according to court records filed Friday.

Christian allegedly told police that he was “upset over a recent article in the Daily Chronicle paper about the county suing the buyers of the DeKalb County nursing home,” according to court records.

Christian also allegedly told police that he was upset with a local prosecutor who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the county Nov. 9.

“The defendant made several references to ‘participate in a school shooting,’ ” DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies wrote in court paperwork.

Christian was charged with disorderly conduct, threatening a public official, threatening a school, violation of a stalking/no contact order from February 2021 and misdemeanor telephone harassment. Christian could face up to five years in prison if convicted of the most serious crime, threatening a public official, a Class 3 felony.

Police said Christian left voicemails at the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office that said he’d “rather be a school shooter than what I’m going to do any day. I’d rather shoot up the school, shoot your grandparents, shoot your children.”

Christian also said, “let me blow a bomb up in your child’s school,” according to court records.

Authorities said Christian also called an Aurora school Thursday and threatened a school official, threatened an Illinois Supreme Court justice and their family, and threatened the president.

Schools in the surrounding areas were notified of the threats being made, according to the court records.

A DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office investigation determined no reliable or credible threats to any DeKalb County school were made, according to a news release.

Authorities said Christian has a history of harassment by telephone.

Police said Christian called the state’s attorney’s office 15 times and left 14 voicemails Thursday.

The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office on Friday asked a judge to keep Christian in jail while he awaits trial.

Circuit Court Judge Joseph Pedersen granted the request to keep Christian detained. The judge also signed paperwork for Christian to undergo a fitness evaluation to determine whether he is fit for trial, records show. Christian was given a public defender to represent him.

Christian was in custody at the DeKalb County Jail on Friday, and he’s scheduled to appear for a status hearing at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 14.