Maple Park man guilty of threatening cop

A Maple Park man was convicted Monday of threatening a police officer, and could receive up to five years in prison at sentencing next month.

Jose E. Blanco, 45, of the 200 block of Kane Street, was found guilty by Kane County Judge Thomas E. Mueller of one count of threatening a public official, a Class 3 felony. Blanco had waived his right to a jury trial.

On May 21, Blanco told a Maple Park police officer that he was upset that another Maple Park police officer had not yet provided Blanco with a copy of a police report taken two days earlier regarding vehicle damage, according to a statement released by the Kane County State's Attorney's office.

Blanco threatened the officer who took the initial report, saying he would disarm the officer, shoot him in the head, cut his head off and bury the body in a farm field where it would never be found. Blanco claimed he had received special training to commit such an act while in the El Salvadoran army.

Blanco is due in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 18 for sentencing. He could receive probation or up to five years in prison. He has been in the Kane County jail since he was arrested in June. His $100,000 bail was revoked upon conviction.

Under state law, such a charge is possible regarding a law enforcement officer only if the threat contains specific facts indicative of a unique threat to the person, family or property of the officer, and not a generalized threat of harm.