Texas man charged with threatening suburban attorney

A 56-year-old Texas man was ordered held on $45,000 bail Wednesday after authorities say he sent threatening emails to his wife's divorce attorney.

Michael Barry threatened the attorney with sanctions and criminal charges unless the attorney agreed to drop the estranged wife's divorce petition, said Cook County assistant state's attorney David Shin. On July 23, 2015, Barry sent the attorney five threatening emails, one of which included a story about a family shot to death in Texas, Shin said.

Fearing for his family's safety, the attorney contacted Schaumburg police, who contacted Palatine police, where the attorney has an office, Shin said. In October, Barry reportedly entered the attorney's office and took photographs before the attorney's colleague ordered him to leave, Shin said.

In all, Barry reportedly sent the attorney 20 threatening emails which also included comments about the judge who is presiding over the divorce pending at the Rolling Meadows courthouse. Barry, who was in Rolling Meadows court Monday for a divorce hearing, was arrested following the hearing after the judge questioned him about the emails.

Barry, who has a concealed carry permit in Texas, was ordered by Judge Joseph Cataldo to surrender all his firearms to local authorities, either here or in Texas. He was also ordered to have no contact with the attorney.

If convicted of cyberstalking, a Class 4 felony, Barry faces up to three years in prison, Probation is also available.

Barry next appears in court on Dec. 30.