Man found guilty of threatening to 'light up' Lake County courthouse
A California man accused of making threats to "light up" the Lake County courthouse and Gurnee police station was found guilty in Lake County court late Tuesday.
Daniel Pederson, 34, of Calabasas, was found guilty on one count of making a terrorist threat for phoning the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services on Sept. 12, 2014, and issuing the threat, Assistant State's Attorney Ben Dillon said.
A second charge was dismissed by prosecutors before court began Tuesday morning.
Dillon said Pederson called the health and family services department after his driver's license was suspended for being behind on child support.
"He told the operator, "You guys have no idea what's coming," Dillon said. "I'm going to light up the Lake County courthouse and the Gurnee Police Department."
Dillon said the 37-second phone call Pederson made was played for the jury during the trial.
Defense attorney Keith Grant said in opening statements that evidence would show Pederson is not a terrorist.
"He isn't a terrorist today, he will not be a terrorist tomorrow, and he wasn't a terrorist on Sept. 12, 2014," Grant told the jury.
Pederson now faces 6 to 30 years in prison when he's sentenced April 18.
His case went to trial after he withdrew a plea deal he made with prosecutors in August, 2015. He previously pleaded guilty to felony disorderly conduct and was sentenced to time served in Lake County jail. Charges of making a terrorist threat and electronic phone harassment were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
However, after returning to his California home, Pederson filed paperwork to withdraw the guilty plea. The motion to withdraw the plea was accepted, the dropped charges were reinstated, and Pederson was returned to the Lake County jail.