Registered sex offender Maurice Pennington Sr. was charged with making threats against Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The Lisa Madigan threats follow the man’s unhappiness with being forced to register as a sex offender.
Pennington was convicted of sexual abuse of a victim between the ages of 9 and 16 in Texas, under the name of Demtreous P. Moore, reports the Chicago Tribune. Because of the conviction, he was forced to register as a sex offender in the State of Illinois.
Pennington was not happy with this requirement and filed a legal challenge against the Attorney General. In his legal brief, Pennington apparently took things too far and made threats against Madigan -- in the brief itself -- reports the Sun-Times.
The exact nature of the threats were not reported, but it is characterized as involving violence, reports the Tribune.
Pennington was arrested at his home last night and charged with one count of threatening a public official. For the crime, the sex offender faces a class 3 felony charge and could receive five years in jail.
Interestingly, had Lisa Madigan not been a public official, Pennington may have faced more severe penalties. Making threats of violence against an ordinary civilian is considered to be the crime of intimidation. While intimidation is also considered a class 3 felony, the sentencing guidelines provide a minimum two-year prison term and possible ten-year penalty.
Maurice Pennington was charged with making Lisa Madigan threats. Because Madigan is a public official, Pennington may face a lighter sentence than had she been an ordinary citizen.
Related Resources:
- Find a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney (FindLaw)
- Man unhappy with sex offender registry threatens to kill Lisa Madigan (Chicago Sun-Times)
- Felonies (FindLaw)
- Ask A Question about Criminal Law now (FindLaw Answers)
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