Police: Geneva man crossed line with harassing letters
It started as a seemingly innocuous social media post voicing support for bringing more food trucks to the Geneva area after a similar event in Aurora.
It ended with slurs against Latinos and calls for residents to summon Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, early and often.
But this wasn't a simple online dispute that resulted in someone being "blocked."
Instead, the Geneva woman who posted the original item received an anonymous letter at her home in late May containing a computer printout of her Facebook comment, as well as a typed letter riddled with racial slurs.
"It was shocking. It was scary. Somebody took the time to look up my home address," said the woman, who filed a complaint with Geneva police. She asked not to be named in this story because of fears for her safety.
"It's disturbing," she said. "You think Geneva is immune from this stuff, but apparently not. This is obviously some deep-seated hate."
Geneva police have charged Anton L. Purkart, 50, of the 0-99 block of Andover Lane, Geneva, with four counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct in connection with the case.
According to a charging document, Purkart "knowingly mailed letters containing derogatory statements, in such an unreasonable manner as to alarm and disturb and provoke a breach of the peace" on multiple occasions.
A Freedom of Information Act request seeking additional information about the investigation was denied by Geneva police FOIA officer Rhonda Sayles on Friday, with her writing in an email that the report wasn't complete and releasing it would "violate the right to a fair trial." Julie Nash, Geneva police commander and spokeswoman, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Purkart is due in court on Aug. 7 and his attorney, Matt Haiduk, says his client wants to apologize for sending the letters.
"He did send that stuff and he feels terrible about it," Haiduk said. "This was a social media discussion or conversation that got terribly out of control. He is absolutely crushed."
Purkart is charged with a Class C misdemeanor offense, which is the least severe of misdemeanors and punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $1,500.
Word of charges against Purkart came as a relief to a Batavia man who said he received a letter in late May containing anti-immigrant rhetoric and slurs against him because he is gay. The man, who also asked not to be named because of concerns for his safety, said he merely reacted with a sad face emoji to a Facebook post about ICE raids in the area - and the letter he received contained a screen shot of that post as well as personal attacks.
He called police, who investigated, and also heard from others in the Facebook group who received letters.
"I didn't leave my house for three days. I was really freaked out," the man said.