A former police officer, who is a Cary resident, has been sentenced to two years in prison after prosecutors say he violated an order of protection by communicating a threat to his former girlfriend.
Michael D. Seyller, 50, of Cary, was charged in April with one count of enhanced violation of an order of protection, a Class 4 felony.
He was found guilty by McHenry County Judge Justin Hansen on July 31 following a bench trial.
Prosecutors said Seyller had an active order of protection prohibiting contact between him and his former girlfriend.
Seyller had a conversation with a third party, a mutual acquaintance, where he threatened the woman and instructed the acquaintance to communicate that threat to her, prosecutors said.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said the threat involved Seyller claiming he was going to make the woman lose her job. The acquaintance then contacted the woman by phone.
The case was investigated by the Cary Police Department.
The charge against Seyller was enhanced due to a previous conviction for aggravated domestic battery where he strangled a woman.
A lengthy sentencing hearing was held late last month where Hansen sentenced Seyller to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Seyller was previously employed as a police officer for the East Dundee Police Department.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally said after the hearing that he was grateful to the Cary Police Department and Assistant State’s Attorney William Bruce for their efforts in the case.
“Orders of protection will be respected in McHenry County and those who do not will be prosecuted,” Kenneally said.