Crime & Safety
Judge Orders Man Held In 'Good Shot ICE' Hate Crime Case
Derek Webb is accused of posting a bullseye sign at a Gurnee business and making threats targeting Latino and immigrant residents.
LAKE COUNTY, IL — A Lake County judge has ordered a man detained while he awaits trial on hate crime and disorderly conduct charges tied to alleged threats against Latino and immigrant members of the community.
Derek Webb, 38, was charged with one count of hate crime, a Class 4 felony, and one count of disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.
The detention ruling is an update to a case first reported last week, when prosecutors said Webb was accused of posting a bullseye sign that included the handwritten words "Good Shot ICE."
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According to prosecutors, officers were dispatched April 6 to a business in Gurnee for a report of a sign posted without permission. The sign appeared to be a bullseye with the words "Good Shot ICE" written on it, prosecutors said.
At a July 1 detention hearing, prosecutors argued Webb posed a real and present threat to the community and to employees at the business. Prosecutors said Webb was deliberately posting threatening signs at businesses without permission, causing employees to be concerned for their safety.
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Prosecutors also argued some of the businesses employ Hispanic or international staff, and that workers felt alarmed and disturbed by the signs.
The court granted the state's petition to detain Webb, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Webb's next court date is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. July 21, for a preliminary hearing.
Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart previously said clear threats of physical violence motivated by hatred, bias or racism "must be strongly condemned in the community and responded to by the legal system."
"True threats are not protected by free speech, and they are particularly dangerous when they are directed towards groups who are historically and wrongfully attacked," Rinehart said in a statement after Webb was charged.
The investigation remains ongoing across multiple jurisdictions.
For previous coverage: Man Charged With Hate Crime Over Threats Targeting Latino, Immigrant Residents
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