Man Accused of Locking Himself in an Attic Sentenced

A Fairbury man who allegedly barricaded himself in an attic and had to be extracted by law enforcement was sentenced to a fine and time served.Jonathan Torell appeared in Jefferson County Court on Wednesday, April 24, 2025. Linda Bauer was the presiding judge. The defendant was originally charged with threatening another person in a menacing manner and obstructing a peace officer, both class 1 misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 for each count. On January 11, 2025, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence in Fairbury, where Jonathan K. Torell, age 38, was alleged to have kicked a bedroom door and, according to the Warrantless Arrest Affidavit, “threatened to kill” a resident.Upon arrival, deputies reportedly discovered that Torell had locked himself in a attic. More deputies arrives at the scene. Per the affidavit, “The door was then pried open and announcements made again.”The affidavit indicates that Torell still did not come out until the arrival of a K9 unit, “At this point Jonathan came down from the attic and complied with commands.”In accordance with the plea agreement, Torell pleaded guilty to obstruction. The remaining charge was dismissed. Torell's attorney, Public Defender Scott Gropp, asked for a fine on behalf of his client but said if the judge sentenced him to probation instead, his client was willing to abide by the conditions of probation.While Judge Bauer postponed sentencing until a victim-impact statement, no statement was presented to the court.The defendant was sentenced to seven days in jail, with credit for seven days time served, and fined $100.

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