Federal prosecutors say a 65-year-old Libertyville man took his anger to the mailbox and crossed a serious legal line.
James Lebuhn, a Libertyville resident, has been charged in federal court in Chicago with mailing threatening letters to two federal judges, one in Amarillo, Texas, and another in Fort Pierce, Florida. Prosecutors allege the letters went out in March 2025 and have filed two counts against him. An arraignment is scheduled for March 26, 2026, in Chicago. Court filings made public so far do not include the full text of the letters.
What prosecutors allege
According to CBS Chicago, federal charges filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago say Lebuhn mailed the letters in March 2025 to judges in Amarillo and Fort Pierce. The indictment accuses him of sending the communications "for the purpose of making a true threat" and recklessly disregarding that others would view the messages as threats. The filings do not spell out the letters' specific language, so for now the exact wording remains under wraps.
How investigators respond
The U.S. Marshals Service and other federal partners are the ones who step in when someone allegedly targets the judiciary. The Marshals say they assess and mitigate threats to judges and the court system around the clock, coordinating protective measures and investigations in cases like this. They often work with federal investigators to trace mailed communications and evaluate how serious a threat might be. Prosecutors then decide whether to seek detention or other restraints during initial court proceedings based on those assessments.
Federal law and penalties
Sending threatening communications through the mail is prohibited under federal law. Under 18 U.S.C. 876, as summarized by Cornell Law School, defendants can face up to five years in prison for mailing a threat, and the penalty can rise to as much as 10 years when the communication is aimed at a federal judge or other protected official. Courts assess whether a communication qualifies as a "true threat" and whether the sender had the requisite intent. Those legal standards guide prosecutions and defenses, and a statutory summary is available at Justia.
Next steps
Lebuhn is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on March 26, 2026, in Chicago federal court, where upcoming dockets and filings will show how prosecutors plan to proceed. The charges are allegations, and Lebuhn is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Authorities have not released the contents of the letters. For the initial reporting of the charges, see CBS Chicago.
