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Aurora man pleads guilty to 'Henry Pratt' threat against housing authority

An Aurora man charged with making "Henry Pratt" threats against Aurora Housing Authority officials in spring 2019 has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in early August.

Shane J. Pfister, 56, of the 500 block of South River Street, was arrested and charged with two counts of threatening a public official, a felony, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct in May 2019 and has been held at the Kane County jail for the last 13 months.

Pfister is accused of repeatedly referencing the Feb. 15, 2019 workplace shooting in Aurora in which five employees were killed and five police officers wounded, according to Kane County court records.

He is accused of saying he would go "Henry Pratt" on two housing authority officials and the agency's law firm based out of Sugar Grove during several phone calls, according to a court records and police. Pfister was being evicted after he was accused of breaking a window and taking an air conditioning unit.

No one was hurt and no attack was carried out.

He pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of threatening a public official, and the other charges were dismissed by prosecutors.

Pfister entered what is called a "cold" or "blind" plea in which a defendant admits guilt without having a previous agreement with prosecutors on the punishment and instead leaves it in the hands of a judge. Pfister acted as his own attorney, records show.

The felony charge carries a sentencing ranging from probation to five years in prison. Judge Charles Petersen will sentence Pfister on Aug. 7.

Pfister has been held at the Kane County jail since May 2019 and his bond was revoked after his guilty plea. By early August, he will have been held for 15 months.

At the time of his 2019 arrest, Pfister was free on bond from a March 2018 arrest on a charge of domestic battery, 1-2 prior convictions, which is a felony that carries a sentence of up to three years in prison.

He also pleaded guilty to the felony domestic battery charge Wednesday and any sentence issued will have to be served consecutively, or after, the sentence in the 2019 threatening a public official case.

Pfister was arrested in December 2000 on a felony charge of violating an order of protection with a prior domestic battery conviction, according to Kane County court records. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years of probation.

Police: Aurora man invoked Henry Pratt in threat against housing authority officials

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