Judge Stalker Gets Five Years For Sending Judge Letters and Having Photo of Family Member

Caption: Booking photo for John Euwema, 58, of Western Springs. | DuPage County Sheriff

A Western Springs was sentenced to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to stalking a DuPage County judge judge, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced.

John Euwema, 58, copped a plea to one count of stalking and one count of interference with the duty of a judicial officer in court on Tuesday, both felonies. He was also sentenced to one consecutive year in the Illinois Department of Corrections after he admitted violating his probation for driving on a revoked license, the state’s attorney’s office announced in a news advisory.

According to court records, in July 2013, while his case was pending for felony driving while license revoked, Euwema sent a package containing a book, a letter and cash to DuPage County Judge Kathyrn Creswell’s home.

After pleading guilty to the revoked license charge, the Western Springs man turned himself into the DuPage County Jail on Sept. 20, 2013, to begin serving a 90-day sentence handed down a few days before. Authorities said that on or about this date, Euwema send Judge Creswell’s husband an email, asking him to deliver an attached letter to the judge.

Investigators from the state’s attorney and DuPage County Sheriff’s office went to Euwema’s place of business where ammunition, newspaper articles relating to the Judge Creswell, and a photograph of a family member of the judge were found, the news advisory said.

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Kane County Judge John Barsanti to hear the case because the victim was a DuPage County Judge, the state’s attorney’s office said. Euwema appeared in bond court on Nov. 18, 2013, and has remained in custody without bail since that time.

“Any threatening or harassing contact with an officer of the Court will carry significant consequences, as Mr. Euwema learned today,” Berlin said upon Euwema’s sentencing. “The fair and impartial administration of justice requires that the judiciary be allowed to perform their duties free from harassment or fear of retribution.”

Euwema will be required to serve 50 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole. In addition to his prison sentence, Euwema must also adhere to a lifetime restraining order against him regarding Judge Creswell and her family.