FREEPORT — Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agents arrested 59-year-old Joseph Haggerty of Freeport on Tuesday on charges of threatening an Illinois State Senator.

On September 2, 2025, Senator Andrew Chesney contacted ISP regarding threats he received from Haggerty. On November 24, after an extensive ISP investigation, the Stephenson County State’s Attorney’s Office approved two counts of Threatening a Public Official (Class 4 Felony) and issued an arrest warrant. On Nov. 25, Haggerty turned himself in to ISP Special Agents in Cook County. Haggerty was transported back to Stephenson County 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.