Man accused of phone harassment barred from calling state’s attorney’s office

A judge on Monday expanded a no-contact order against a man accused of making harassing phone calls to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Richard Gabrys, 62, of Joliet has been barred from making any calls to the state’s attorney’s office and the office of the state special prosecutor handling the case.

“If somebody tries to kill me, so what?” Gabrys told Judge Art Smigielski in an apparent expression of dissatisfaction with the order.

“It’s already happened,” Gabrys said in regards to what he said later was a 2007 incident.

“I hope that was the last time,” Smigielski said.

Smigielski and Gabrys, discussed what he should do about any attempts on his life.

“Call the police because you can’t call the state’s attorney’s office,” Smigielski said. “Don’t call them. Don’t email them. Don’t have any contact with the state’s attorney’s office in any way.”

Gabrys pointed out that the state’s attorney’s office has investigators that look into cases. Smigielski said that the primary investigation would be done by the police.

The order, expanding a previous order barring Gabrys from calling an individual at the state’s attorney’s office, was requested by a special prosecutor in the case.

Without being asked, Smigielski extended the no-contact order to the Illinois Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor. Special Prosecutor Bill Elward is handling the harassment case for the state’s attorney’s office.

“All communication if you need any goes to Mr. Wangler,” Smigielski said, referring to Gabrys’s attorney, Adam Wangler, who was at his side.

Gabrys after the hearing told The Herald-News that the attempt on his life mentioned in court occurred in 2007, when he was shot by a neighbor.

In that incident, Gabrys was charged and pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property. Prosecutors contended that Gabrys was shot while pouring a mixture of gasoline and oil onto a lawn.

This year, Gabrys was accused of making harassing phone calls to the state’s attorney’s office. A sheriff’s spokeswoman said 22 calls were documented and Gabrys continued to call after being advised by deputies to stop.

Gabry’s faces misdemeanor charges of harassment by telephone and harassment through electronic communications.