Dixon man accused of threatening Lee County official over data center listing pleads guilty to petty offense
A Dixon man pleaded guilty to a petty offense as part of a plea agreement to dismiss felony charges stemming from threats made against a Lee County official. The threats were due to the man's strong disapproval of a potential data center development in Lee County. This incident occurred amidst local opposition and a petition against data centers, even as officials state no project is currently planned.
Harley R. DeLander, 28, of Dixon, Illinois, pleaded guilty to barratry, a petty offense, following a plea agreement in Lee County Circuit Court. This agreement will result in the dismissal of four felony charges, including intimidation, stalking, cyberstalking, and obstruction of justice, provided he completes a court-ordered offender initiative program within a year. The charges stemmed from threats DeLander made against Tom Demmer, Executive Director of the Lee County Industrial Development Association (LCIDA) and former Illinois state representative, via email and social media on May 27.
The threats, which included statements like "if that data center comes to town I will make it my life mission to drive you out of this community" and explicit threats against Demmer and his family, were motivated by DeLander's opposition to a potential data center in Lee County. This opposition was sparked by a real estate listing on LCIDA's website advertising "prime data center development land" near Nelson, which has since been removed. Online discourse in the Sauk Valley area escalated, leading to a Change.org petition against data centers that garnered over 2,000 signatures.
During Wednesday's hearing, Lee County Associate Judge Matthew T. Klahn accepted the plea agreement, which also requires DeLander to pay $1,799 in fines and write an apology letter to Demmer. Lee County Assistant State’s Attorney Bridget Schott confirmed Demmer and Dixon police approved the resolution. While officials stated no data center project is currently underway, a large crowd protested at a June 25 Lee County Board meeting, urging stricter regulations. Board Chairman Bob Olson indicated the issue would be discussed at an upcoming county services committee meeting. DeLander remains under a no-contact order and GPS monitoring until his program completion is reviewed in July 2027.