UPDATE: State Charges Man With False Terrorist Threats, Disorderly Conduct
Tom G. Rohrbach, 46, of New Lenox, was charged Wednesday. Police say a two-month span of threatening phone calls, including some against Lincoln-Way schools, led them to Rohrbach.
The state filed 11 charges Wednesday afternoon against a New Lenox man who police say made a series of threatening phone calls, including two against the Lincoln-Way High School District.
Tom G. Rohrbach, 46, of the 700 block of Lisson Grove in New Lenox, was charged with two counts of falsely making a terrorist threat, a Class 1 felony, and nine counts of disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony.
After investigating six phone calls threatening violence, police executed a search warrant at Rohrbach's mother's home, where he lived. Two phone calls threatened violence against Lincoln-Way high schools, and the other four threatened harm to himself or his neighbors.
Read more about the police investigation and arrest.
Rohrbach appeared in court Wednesday afternoon, and his bail was set at $75,000, with 10 percent to apply, or $7,500. He is being held in Will County Jail.
State's Attorney's Office spokesman Chuck Pelkie said the two counts of falsely making a terrorist threat stem from each incident with a threat against the school.
Pelkie said Rohrbach was charged with nine counts of disorderly conduct, one for each of the six phone calls he's accused for making. The first threat against the school brought one additional charge of disorderly conduct, and the most recent incident on Monday brought two additional disorderly conduct charges.
In total, police received six calls:
- March 6: A caller threatened to bring guns to Lincoln-Way Central High School and start shooting.
- March 23: A caller threatened to shoot up Lisson Grove, the New Lenox street in which Rohrbach lives.
- April 3: A caller threatened to shoot people in Bishops Gate, a road near Rohrbach's home.
- April 8: A caller threatened to kill himself in Lisson Grove.
- April 17: A caller threatened to "shoot his target" but didn't give a location. Police said the call might have also said "shoot up Target."
- April 30: A caller threatened "great bodily harm" to people at both Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way North high schools.
In each incident, police responded and found no real danger. Two cell phones were recovered from Rohrbach's home, but no weapons, New Lenox Police Chief Bob Sterba said.
"There was nothing of that sort that would lead us to believe this was anything more than sport for him," Sterba said. "He enjoyed seeing the police response."
A Class 1 felony carries a sentence of four to 15 years, and a Class 4 felony carries a sentence of one to three years. Rohrbach's next court date is scheduled for May 23.
Chester Rook
10:45 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Eleven total charges against him: 2 Class 1 Felonies, 9 Class 4 Felonies, and all this guy gets for bond is $7,500? So all he'll have to post is 10%...$750 bucks. I really need to meet this guy's attorney.
Michael Sewall
10:45 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Chester, my mistake. The bail was $75,000, according to the state attorney. The sheriff's department website listed it as $7,500.
AJ
1:14 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Tom grew up a few houses down from my house in South Holland. We are the same age. This article failed to mention that Tom is mentally challenged or severly learning disabled. He was a really nice kid who got bullied and got made fun of a lot by other kids. I'm not sure what made him do these things that he is accused of, but he just might not know any better.
Metro
12:01 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
AJ,
Good point and leads me to wonder what happens to these people when their parents can no longer care for them. Meanwhile,the state is closing mental health facilities. Maybe the state could use the money they are saving for some good neuro and psychological testing to actually help these people. No one sees the problem until a tragedy happens.
Reality Bytes!
12:40 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
And that is why this concerns me so much... The police are convinced he was no threat to students or faculty. How can you make a statement like that? He is mentally challenged which even makes it more difficult to determine whether he would have followed through eventually or not. There is no way of knowing where it could have ended. Honestly, I hope they get him help and provide him with mental health care after he learns his fate in court. Thanks go out to Will County Sheriff's office for assisting in the investigation...
Richard Draper
5:02 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012
Probably should institutionalize him before he does act upon one of his 6 deadly threats.....there is only so much his parents, care takers and law enforcement can do before there is a serious incident.
Jean
8:59 pm on Friday, May 4, 2012
I know him personally and I can say that he would not do any harm to people. He actually is the type that would help someone in need. He was bullied and made fun of as a kid and even as an adult. He is going through a very difficult time in his life right now. I worry about his family at this time. It hurts me terrible that he is going through this and that he did this.. I hope that he does get the help that he needs.
Dlr914
9:57 am on Saturday, May 5, 2012
I know Tom and this is not something he is capable of, if being of sound mind. Hoping he gets the help he deserves and people dont judge him before they know him. Good Luck Tom your a good man.
Jo Ann Gindville
7:53 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I feel bad for the man if he has unresolved issues, but he needs to be taken off the streets for our safety and his own. Also, who pays the bill for the many times the emergency services had to go out on these threats. I believe that if the bill went to these offenders then we might see less of this kind of behavior. You know actual consequences for your actions!!!