Naperville council member, GOP candidate reports sexually threatening call

Naperville City Council member Patty Gustin has filed a police report about a sexually threatening voicemail she received, fearing it might be politically motivated.

Gustin filed the report Monday after taking time to mull over the message she received Sept. 29. She said she fears the message could be a political intimidation tactic, as she runs as a Republican in the Nov. 6 election for a seat on the DuPage County Board in District 5.

"I've been on city council for four years and I've never gotten a threatening phone call like that, ever. But ever since I entered this race (for county board), now I get that type of thing, which is so disrespectful and so not appropriate in any kind of political venue," Gustin said. "Maybe it was just to intimidate. It breaks my heart. It makes me nervous."

Naperville police Chief Robert Marshall described the message as "an obscene phone call."

The message, which Gustin played for the Daily Herald, contains profanity and sexual references.

"She got a voicemail from a male caller who makes a series of obscene statements on the voicemail," Marshall said. "We are in the process of tracking that phone number down in an attempt to identify the caller."

Police so far have identified the number from which the call was made. Marshall said investigators are trying to find the location of the number and the identity of the person who placed the call.

If the person can be identified, Marshall said police will work to file misdemeanor charges for making an obscene phone call.

"People should be held accountable, and that kind of conduct should not be taken lightly," Gustin said. "We have got to be respectful of each other, no matter what."

Gustin said the message came to her cellphone. But calls to her publicly listed city of Naperville phone number also are routed to her cell, so she doesn't know which number the caller actually dialed.

She hopes the voicemail is an isolated case so other women aren't discouraged from getting involved in local government positions, for which their contact information will be made publicly accessible.

"As a public servant, you want to be available. You have to have that information out there," she said. "But then when somebody does something like this, now you're questioning. 'Is that somebody who will be behind me when I'm at an event?'"

Gustin said Marshall advised her to take meetings at the police station as a precaution. But during a campaign, when she's greeting voters at their doorsteps, she said that just isn't practical.

"It really affected the way that I normally would conduct myself," she said, "where I would always want to go and meet the residents."

Marshall said the type of message involved in this case is rare. The department often receives reports of phone scams, such as callers claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service or pretending to be a grandchild in need of money. But Gustin's call doesn't fit that bill.

"We have not seen similar obscene phone calls such as the one Mrs. Gustin received," Marshall said. "This is an unusual call."

As Gustin continues her public duties and campaign activities, she said she encourages women to build support networks and get involved in their communities.

"It's important for women to stay engaged," Gustin said. "And hopefully not with any phone calls or any kind of deterrent like what happened to me."