Judge detains man charged in fake 911 call that prompted Sycamore schools lockdown

SYCAMORE – A Chicago man on Monday was ordered detained pending trial as he faces charges that he made a false 911 call prompting two Sycamore schools to lock down as a precaution Friday.

Terrell Delaney, 31, appeared for a pretrial release hearing in front of Circuit Court Judge Joseph Pedersen Monday on charges that he intentionally lied to police to divert them from finding him after an alleged domestic battery.

Delaney has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct, which includes allegations of a fake 911 call, and misdemeanor domestic battery. If convicted of disorderly conduct, a Class 3 felony, he could face up to five years in prison. He’ll remain held in custody at DeKalb County jail at least through his next hearing, set for 10 a.m. Sept. 19.

Prosecutors argued Delaney’s “extreme actions” were proof that he would not comply with court orders if released.

[ Man falsely claimed person was in Sycamore High bathroom with gun to divert from police chase ]

“Especially in this community because there have been shootings in this community before,” assistant state’s attorney Joseph Hodder said Monday. He referred to a 2008 mass shooting in a lecture hall on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb where a gunman killed five students and left dozens more injured.

In his ruling, Pedersen cited Delaney’s lengthy criminal history, including time spent in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Delaney was on probation at the time of the Friday incident, and also allegedly violated an order of protection, court records show. The order was filed by the same woman who told police Delaney placed his hands around her throat for two minutes Friday and told her he was going to kill her, court records allege.

The woman was able to get Delaney off her and scream for help. Delaney fled. Sycamore police allege Delaney told them he knowingly made the fake 911 call, court records show. The 911 caller “reported seeing a person in a Sycamore High School restroom with a firearm,” police said.

The false intruder report led to a brief soft lockdown at the high school and nearby West Elementary School on Friday, Sycamore School District 427 Superintendent Steve Wilder previously said.

“At no time was there a direct threat to the safety of our students or staff,” Wilder wrote in an email to West Elementary parents.

Delaney also faced charges related to a February incident in which police alleged that he harassed a woman and threatened to blow up Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb. He pleaded guilty to felony stalking in the case March 28, DeKalb County court records show. Circuit Court Judge Joseph Pedersen in response sentenced Delaney to 100 days in jail and 24 months of probation. Delaney received credit for 52 days in jail. After serving the remainder of his jail sentence, he was released into the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections on a parole hold, records show.

Delaney was convicted in June 2017 of armed robbery and sentenced to eight years in the IDOC, Pedersen said. On Nov. 6, 2012, Delaney was convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to four years in the IDOC. He also has a 2010 assault conviction out of Cook County.

Prosecutors this week also filed petitions to revoke Delaney’s probation on the stalking case. He could be resentenced, Pedersen said.