WHEATON - Charges were upgraded to a Class 3 Felony after an alleged second threatening call was made to a state representative Monday by a Chicago man that obtained a civil union with his male partner in 2011.
Wheaton police report that charges against Stephen Bona, 49, of Chicago were upgraded from disorderly conduct to a Class 3 Felony when Bona made an alleged second phone call, threatening State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) for comments made on a Catholic radio talk show last summer. Sources say the second call said that "he would never stop fighting" Rep. Ives' position on same sex marriage. Tapes of the voice mail have since been admitted as evidence and were not obtainable.
Bona, listed in the Wheaton Police press release as residing at 903 W. Roscoe, appears to be the same Stephen Bona that moved to the Roscoe address in Chicago from a North Ave in Batavia property in January 2012. Both listings were owned by Bona and a Michael Bradley.
Bona and Bradley, then of Batavia, were photographed by the Huntley Patch during their civil union ceremony that took place before a Kane County judge in June 2011, the first day civil unions were legalized in Illinois.
Stephen Bona (left) and Michael Bradley (right) | Huntley Patch
Bona faces up to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if he is found guilty. His next court appearance will be April 29.
(With research assistance from West Side Blogger Bill Baar)
