Montgomery man told La Salle County judge ‘it needs to end now’ in alleged threat

A Montgomery man was ordered held Thursday in La Salle County Jail for allegedly threatening a La Salle County judge in a pair of recorded phone calls.

Joseph J. Urso, 50, appeared Thursday in La Salle County Circuit Court and was presented with charges of threatening a public official and intimidation, both Class 3 felonies carrying two to five years in prison.

According to records and open-court statements, a La Salle County judge received, on Dec. 16, a pair of after-hours voice messages from a caller who identified himself as Urso and provided what prosecutors termed “unique details” of the case before the judge. The calls were traced to Urso’s phone.

“It needs to end now,” the caller said in the recording. “If it doesn’t there’s going to be a problem and a piece of paper won’t stop me.”

The caller said later in the recording, “I have absolutely nothing to live for and if (nonsense) like this is going to happen then other things may happen.”

It wasn’t just the judge. Urso’s intimidation count is from alleged threats made against the petitioner in the order of protection case over which the judge was presiding.

Assistant La Salle County Greg Sticka said the call was directed to the La Salle County judge. Sticka said Urso’s criminal record includes four convictions for violating an order of protection, making Urso a risky candidate for pre-trial release.

“It would seem clear that provisions short of detention would not mitigate the threat,” Sticka said.

Urso is seeking private counsel but agreed to have Public Defender Ryan Hamer represent him at the detention hearing. Hamer said that calling the recorded comments threatening was “vague, at best.” Hamer said he listened to the voice mails and these started off “pleasant enough” before the caller yielded to frustration.

Hamer also raised the possibility the calls were placed under the influence of pain medications issued for back trouble – “Whether he was in the correct frame of mind is questionable” – and that he scored “relatively low” on a pre-trial risk assessment.

Urso appeared nauseous during the detention hearing. Court staff rush over a waste basket in case of vomiting, but Urso did not vomit.

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. ordered Urso detained, citing Urso’s repeated violations of orders of protection as proof “a real lack” of compliance that precluded pre-trial release.

Soon after Ryan issued his ruling, Urso fell out of his chair at the defense table and had to be helped to his feet. Minutes earlier, court security rushed over with a wastebasket when Urso showed signs of nausea though he did not vomit in open court.

Urso’s case will go before a grand jury on Dec. 30. He will next appear Jan. 3 for appearance with counsel and arraignment, possibly before a new judge.