Wisconsin man charged with hate crime over alleged threat on Illinois LGBTQ+ group's Facebook post

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - A Wisconsin man has been charged with a hate crime for allegedly making a threatening comment on an Illinois LGBTQ+ organization's Facebook post.

What we know:

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said 38-year-old William Ramlow was extradited to Illinois and appeared in court Thursday after being arrested last month in Wisconsin.

William Ramlow

The backstory:

On June 3, Round Lake Beach police were alerted to a threatening Facebook comment under a post from the LGBTQ+ Center of Lake County promoting an upcoming Pride Fest on June 14 at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center.

Police said the comment included hateful, derogatory language, slurs, and called for violence against LGBTQ+ people.

Investigators traced the IP address to Elkhorn, Wisconsin, and made contact with Ramlow on June 4.

After a review of the case, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was taken into custody on June 13 by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. He was then transferred to Illinois.

What they're saying:

"Everyone deserves to be safe and to feel safe. Hate is on the rise in this country – but our office will never hesitate to hold those accountable who make direct threats or who engage in actions that harm others," Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement.

Round Lake Beach Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez added, "There is no place for hate in our communities."

What's next:

Ramlow was charged with one count of hate crime, a Class 4 felony, and remains in custody.

Rinehart is seeking to keep Ramlow detained pending trial. A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon.