Frankfort Man Arrested by State Police for Threatening Governor Pritzker

Article Summary: A 71-year-old Frankfort resident is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after Illinois State Police investigators linked him to a series of threatening voicemails left for Governor JB Pritzker.

Frankfort Threat Investigation Key Points:

• Timothy J. Shemitis, 71, of Frankfort, was taken into custody by ISP Special Agents following the issuance of an arrest warrant.

• The investigation began on March 3, 2026, after the Governor’s Office reported receiving numerous threatening voicemails.

• The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges of Threatening a Public Official (Class 3 Felony) and Harassment by Telephone (Class B Misdemeanor).

• Shemitis was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility, where he remains in custody.

On March 17, 2026, Illinois State Police (ISP) Special Agents arrested a 71-year-old Frankfort man on felony charges following an investigation into multiple threatening phone calls made to Governor JB Pritzker.

According to the ISP Division of Criminal Investigation, the inquiry was initiated on March 3, 2026, when special agents were notified that the Governor’s Office had received numerous voicemail threats from Timothy J. Shemitis of Frankfort.

Following what authorities described as an extensive investigation by state police, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office formally approved charges against Shemitis on March 17. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, and ISP Special Agents took the Frankfort resident into custody.

Shemitis is officially charged with one count of Threatening a Public Official, a Class 3 Felony, and one count of Harassment by Telephone, a Class B Misdemeanor. Following his arrest, Shemitis was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility, where he remains in custody. Authorities noted that no additional information regarding the specific nature of the threats is available at this time.

The investigation was handled under the ISP’s Inappropriate Contact and Communication protocol. The agency implements this protocol whenever public officials alert the ISP to potential threats, whether they are received via phone calls, emails, online postings, or in person. Under these guidelines, investigators assess the communication, investigate confirmed threats that meet a criminal threshold, and offer a security assessment to the targeted official.

Law enforcement officials issued a standard reminder that 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.