A federal judge sentenced a Lowell man to home monitoring and probation for sending threatening texts to Lake County Prosecuting Attorney Bernard Carter and a Lake County Police officer who issued him a speeding ticket in 2024.
U.S. District Court Judge Phillip Simon, in the Northern District in Hammond, sentenced John A. Smriga III, 24, to one year served plus one year of supervised release for each count of knowingly and willfully transmitting interstate and foreign communications with the threat to injure, to be served concurrently. Smriga will also continue to wear an ankle monitor for eight more months, Simon said.
After some discussion among Simon, U.S. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Francis Sohn and defense attorney Steve Haddad over whether the threats Smriga issued were true threats, Simon overruled the prosecution’s objection that they were credible, even though “it’s a very close call.” Random, off-the-cuff threats over the Internet weren’t credible in this case because the chance of Smriga going through with them was slim, Simon said.
Nevertheless, Simon was annoyed with Smriga’s actions.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Simon yelled from the bench. “I’ve been the subject of threats, and they’re not very fun.”
Smriga apologized to the court for his actions, blaming them on frustration at having received his first-ever speeding ticket. Sohn countered that Smriga’s actions were calculated in that he made two separate threats within seven months, and he used internet anonymizer services to attempt to cover his tracks.
Smriga was arrested Sept. 11 in Lake County, the Post-Tribune previously reported. Court records allege he texted a threat to an unnamed prosecutor on his personal cellphone.
“Ayo, Bernie. we know exactly where you lay your head at. Tomorrow, we rollin’ through to grab what’s yours, so you better be set. Ain’t no playin’ around,” court records said it read.
The attached picture appeared to show several people flashing gang signs, which an FBI agent admitted was probably lifted somewhere online.
Smriga will reappear in court April 30 for the initial speeding ticket, court records indicate.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
