Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A DuPage County man has been arrested in connection with threats made using social media against two Illinois State Representatives, the Illinois Attorney General and others along with a comment about an explosive device at Springfield PrideFest. Samuel J. Cundari, 30, was charged with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person.

On March 17, two Illinois State Representatives contacted Illinois State Police regarding a threat received via X, formerly Twitter.  The social media post stated, “Our patience grows short with you. The day we put your kids’ feet first into a woodchipper so we can enjoy their last few screams is coming.” In addition to the two lawmakers, five others including the Illinois Attorney General were tagged in the post. In response, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division initiated an investigation.

The FBI’s National Threat Operations Center also received an online tip about a post on X made in response to an advertisement for Springfield PrideFest. The post stated, “I sure hope NOBODY leaves a pressure cooker filled with bail bearings, glass, and nails, filled with diesel fuel and fertilizer, with the over pressure safety valve disabled, near a natural gas line line [sic]. That would be VERY sad and VERY unfortunate.” The tip was received on May 15, and Springfield PrideFest was held May 18.

Law enforcement reportedly traced the two posts to Cundari, who was an Assistant State’s Attorney in DuPage County at the time the posts were made. Cundari, if convicted, faces a maximum sentence of no more than five years with up to an additional three years of supervised release and a potential fine of up to $250,000. Multiple law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local level were involved in the investigation.