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U.S. Department of Justice 2111 W Roosevelt Rd. |
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Chicago FBI Press Office Phone: (312) 829-1199 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 2, 2008 |
CHICAGO MAN ARRESTED FOR ON-LINE THREATS Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Jody P. Weis, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD); and Thomas Dart, Cook County Sheriff, announced today the arrest of VINCENZIO DI GIORGI, age 3O, whose last known address is 213 South Morgan in Chicago. DI GIORGI was arrested at his residence Friday afternoon, without incident, by members of the Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF). DI GIORGI was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of making and sending an Interstate Threatening Communication, which is a felony offense. According to the complaint, beginning in March of 2006, DI GIORGI began communicating by computer with a person, identified only as Individual A. After a pause in the on-line communications, it is alleged that DI GIORGI sent another e-mail to Individual A in July of 2007, which contained a death threat. DI GIORGI continued making on-line threats to Individual A and a second person, identified only as Individual B, who is a friend of Individual A, through August of this year. The complaint does not specify what the relationship was between DI GIORGI and Individual A or why the threats were made. The complaint further states that in July and August of this year, Individual A received additional internet communications from DI GIORGI which contained threats against two other individuals, identified in the complaint only as Public Official A and Public Official B. There is no allegation in the complaint that DI GIORGI had taken any steps to follow through on any of his threats. DI GIORGI appeared before Magistrate Judge Nan Nolan Saturday morning, at which time he was formally charged. DI GIORGI was ordered held without bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance. If convicted of the charge filed against him, DI GIORGI faces a possible sentence of up to five (5) years incarceration. In announcing this arrest, Mr. Grant wants to emphasize to the public that any threats made over the internet, whether directed to a private citizen or public official, will be taken seriously and vigorously investigated by the FBI. The Chicago FBI’s VCTF is comprised of FBI Special Agents, Detectives from the CPD and Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR’S NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed in this case is available from the Chicago FBI’s press office at (312) 829-1199.
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