Michigan inmate charged with threatening sentencing judge

A current inmate at the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) faces a new felony after mailing a threatening letter to the Ingham County judge who sentenced him in 2016, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday.

Christopher Shenberger is convicted of multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct and is currently serving a 75–180-month prison sentence. Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk sentenced him for those charges  in Sept. 2016.  

The Department alleges Shenberger sent a threatening letter to Draganchuk in Dec. 2021 related to his inability to be considered for parole because he did not complete a required sex offender program while incarcerated.

The letter was addressed to the judge by using obscenities in place of her full name. It also stated in part that if Shenberger was required to serve his maximum sentence, he will put “everyone’s name on that docket” on a slip of paper and it will “go into a jar or whatever and who’s ever name [is picked] up will be killed plain and simple... because I really do not give a rat’s ass on who dies that I pick, someone’s going and I’ll get my revenge one-way-or-the-other.”

Given Draganchuk serves in Ingham County, the case was referred  to the Department of Attorney General.

“We continue to see people cross the line between airing grievances and criminal behavior,” Nessel said. “I refuse to normalize threatening rhetoric and I will continue to vigorously pursue anyone who threatens elected leaders.”

Shenberger is now charged with the following in Ingham County 54-A District Court:

• One count of communicating a false threat of terrorism, a 20-year felony.

Arraignment will be set by the court.

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