Man charged with making violent threats against US judge

CHICAGO (AP) - A southern Illinois man is accused in U.S. District Court of threatening the life of a federal judge in Chicago, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Joshua Farner, 35, of Marion is facing two counts of mailing threats and one count of threatening to assault and murder a judge. The indictment accuses Farner of threatening to retaliate against the judge and impede, intimidate, and interfere with the judge's official duties.

The judge targeted by Farner wasn't named in the announcement of the indictment by U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, nor was a reason given for Farner's actions.

Farner was indicted Monday, but an arraignment date hasn't been scheduled, according to prosecutors. It wasn't immediately known if Farner has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.