STEPHENSON COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A 59-year-old city of Chicago employee accused of threatening a state senator was ordered to be held in custody Wednesday.

Joseph Haggerty appeared in court in Stephenson County, Illinois.

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He pleaded not guilty, and was ordered detained, pending trial.

Haggerty, a Chicago plumbing inspector, was arrested Tuesday and charged with threatening a public official, Illinois State Police said.

On Sept. 2, Sen. Andrew Chesney, a Republican of Freeport contacted state police regarding threats he received from Haggerty, police said.

Chesney's office said Haggerty sent two emails threatening to harm the lawmaker.

The threatening messages were sent to Chesney's government email address the same day he part

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