Algonquin man accused of threatening Diplo pleads guilty to unrelated battery
An Algonquin man who was accused of posting threats about a shooting at a music festival last year pleaded guilty last month to battering a 71-year-old female relative and was sentenced to two years of probation, court records show.
Daniel O. Susma, 29, who was initially found unfit for trial following his arrest in July and then ruled fit in December, is required to participate in drug court.
Susma entered into a negotiated plea on March 22 to felony aggravated battery to a person 60 years or older. In exchange, an additional charge of aggravated domestic battery and four counts of domestic battery were dismissed.
Susma is accused of striking the woman in the face, scratching her face, back and arms, and covering her mouth and nose as she screamed and "impeded(ing) her breathing" in July, according to court documents.
As part of specialty drug court probation, Susma must abstain from drugs and alcohol, is required to submit to random urine and Breathalyzer tests and participate in treatments for alcohol, drugs and mental health.
He also is restricted from having any violent or harassing contact with the victim. He also cannot spend more than four hours within a 24-hour period with the victim "until further court order," according to court records.
Susma is restricted from posting on social media or any other publicly visible site during his probation and is required to give probation officers full access to his phone and computers to be searched at any time, according to the order.
Last year, Susma also was accused of posting comments on Instagram and Facebook that there "was going to be a shooting" at the North Coast Music Festival over Labor Day weekend in Bridgeview.
Though not charged criminally over the posts, Susma is restricted from having any contact with any music festivals or such gatherings, including but not limited to Lollapalooza and the North Coast Music Festival, according to the sentencing order.
After learning of the threatening statements, songwriter and music producer Thomas Pentz, also known as Grammy Award-winning Diplo, obtained a stalking/no contact order against Susma. According to court records, that order is in place until Aug. 8, 2024.
Susma was also required to pay about $950 in fines and fees and was sentenced to 180 days in the McHenry County jail. However, jail time was stayed as long as he follows the rules of specialty court probation.
Should he violate the conditions of his probation, he faces being resentenced on the original felony, which could send him to prison for two to five years.
His attorney, Assistant Public Defender Matthew Feda, declined to comment on the case.