Probation for man convicted of threatening Wheaton state rep
A former Chicago man convicted of making threatening telephone calls to state Rep. Jeanne Ives has avoided jail time in DuPage County.
DuPage Judge George Bakalis on Friday sentenced Stephen Bona, 52, to two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and more than $1,000 in fines. He is also prohibited from contacting Ives or any members of her family or professional staff.
Bona, who now lives in California with his ailing 74-year-old husband, will be allowed to transfer his probation to California.
Ives, a Wheaton Republican, said in her victim impact statement, which she read in court during Friday's sentencing hearing, that the voice mail Bona left at her district office on March 20, 2013, altered her entire family's sense of security in their home.
"Your Tea Party brethren Sarah Palin put up a map that included the names, locations and faces of Democratic candidates and put them in the crosshairs of a gun," Bona said on the voice mail, played several times during his March trial.
Bona went on to suggest that "perhaps we should do the same for you. We know where you live."
Bona left the message after Ives' February 2013 appearance on a Catholic Conference of Illinois radio show. On that show, she said same-sex marriages are "disordered" and couples are trying to "weasel their way into acceptability."
Bakalis cited Bona's otherwise minor criminal history and his belief that Bona never would have followed through with the threat, in his ruling. But he did find Bona's defense ironic.
"(Bona) attempted to stifle, by threat, (Ives') right to freedom of expression. And then he turns around and wants to use freedom of expression as his defense," Bakalis said. "That's somewhat strange."
Bona's attorney, Stephen Richards, said he will be appealing the conviction and expected a lighter sentence.
"We would have liked a little bit better, but it's not inappropriate under the circumstances," Richards said.
Prosecutors sought a sentence of 90 days in jail in addition to probation. Despite not getting the jail time, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin, who attended the hearing, said he thinks lessons were learned during the case.
"I think the felony conviction and the sentence sends a strong message that while people have a right to express themselves under the First Amendment, once you cross that line and threaten a public official there will be severe consequences," Berlin said after the hearing. "Elected officials have to be able to do their job without fear of retribution or threat."
Ives declined to comment after the hearing, other than to thank prosecutors and Wheaton police.