ILLINOIS STATE POLICE ARRESTS FRANKFORT MAN FOR THREATENING GOVERNOR PRITZKER
March 18, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 18, 2026
FRANKFORT – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agents arrested 71-year-old Timothy J. Shemitis of Frankfort, IL on charges of threatening Governor JB Pritzker.
On March 3, 2026, ISP Special Agents were notified of the numerous voicemail threats the Governor’s Office received from Shemitis. On March 17, 2026, after an extensive ISP investigation, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of Threatening a Public Official (Class 3 Felony) and one count of Harassment by Telephone (Class B Misdemeanor). An arrest warrant was issued, and ISP Special Agents took Shemitis into custody. Shemitis was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility where he remains in custody. No additional information is available at this time.
When public officials alert ISP of potential threats (calls, emails, in-person, or online postings), ISP implements its Inappropriate Contact and Communication protocol to assess the communication, investigate confirmed threats and those meeting a criminal threshold, and offer a security assessment to the subject of the threat.
The charges are not evidence against the defendant, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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