75-year-old Fond du Lac man convicted of making terrorist threats

Monday, July 29, 2024, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric J. Toney announced that 75-year-old James R. Stearns was convicted at a court trial presided over by Judge Anthony Nehls of one count of Terrorist Threats, a Class I Felony.

The conviction stems from two emails sent by Stearns on May 25 and May 27, 2022, to a talk radio host and a member of the Wisconsin Legislature in the days after the Uvalde School shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

In an email to the talk radio host, Stearns invited the email to be shared and threatened to buy a gun that he described as “the most powerful I can purchase” to murder any legislator that voted in favor a bill that would allow teachers or administrators to be armed with a firearm.

Stearns also sent an email to a specific legislator stating, that if the legislator passed legislation to “arm teachers administrators and other staff” that “you’ll be a dead man in 60 days” and “people will hunt you down and your family like animals.” Stearns rallied against AR15 style firearms as he threatened the life of the legislators.

Toney stated, “Political violence has no place in society and threats to murder legislators for doing the work of the people is a threat to democracy and must never be tolerated. Political disagreement is healthy but it must be done civilly and peacefully. We will continue to protect those that do the people’s work, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with their politics.”

Stearns has no prior criminal record and was sentenced to 7 days jail and a $500 fine, plus court costs.

The case was investigated by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Wisconsin Capital Police and was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Catherine Block.