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Allentown man jailed for threatening Schuylkill judge

An Allentown man faces two felony and two misdemeanor charges after allegedly threatening a Schuylkill County judge in a voicemail left earlier this month.

According to police, Thomas Bono, 36, called his probation officer and left the two-and-a-half minute message on Oct. 23, during which he said he would “kill that (expletive) judge.”

Bono later told Pottsville Police Det. Joseph Krammes he was referring to Common Pleas Judge Christopher Hobbs, who handled one of Bono’s previous cases.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Krammes, Bono said he “felt wronged by the judge and the Schuylkill County Prison.”

“He stated that his plea deal was not accepted by the judge and the judge told him to file a post-collateral relief,” Krammes wrote.

Bono’s probation officer identified his voice as being the one that left the voicemail.

Hobbs told Krammes that not only did he hear the voicemail, he felt it “was a direct threat toward him.”

Bono is in Schuylkill County Prison on $500,000 cash bail awaiting an Oct. 30 preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge James Reiley.

He faces charges of retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official, criminal use of a communication facility, terroristic threats and criminal attempt to obstruct administration of law or other governmental function.