Wisconsin Man Charged with Hate Crime After Making Threatening Comments to Lake County LGBTQ+ Organization

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Lake County State's Attorneys Office


OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
ERIC F. RINEHART
STATE'S ATTORNEY

July 10, 2025

 

For Immediate Release
Contact: Sara Avalos
(224) 374-2376
Savalos@lakecountyil.gov


Wisconsin Man Charged with Hate Crime After Making Threatening Comments to Lake County LGBTQ+ Organization 


William Ramlow

William Ramlow


(Lake County, IL) A Wisconsin man charged with a Hate Crime for posting a threatening comment under a Lake County LGBTQ+ organization’s Facebook post has been extradited to Illinois and appeared in First Appearance Court today. 

On June 3, the Round Lake Beach Police Department became aware of a threatening comment left on a Facebook post published by the LGBTQ+ Center of Lake County. The organization’s post promoted the upcoming Lake County Pride Fest scheduled for June 14 at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center. 

The Facebook comment, left by a user with the screen name “William Ramlow,” included hateful, derogatory language and slurs, advocating for violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community.  

Round Lake Beach Police Officers investigated the matter and tracked the IP address of the user to an address in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. On June 4, with the assistance of Elkhorn Police Department, Round Lake Beach Officers were able to make contact with William Ramlow, 38.  

After reviewing the facts of the case, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of Hate Crime, a class 4 felony, and an arrest warrant was issued. Ramlow was taken into custody on June 13 by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. He waived extradition to Illinois and appeared in First Appearance Court on July 10, 2025. 

Round Lake Beach Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez stated, “There is no place for hate in our communities. I want to personally thank the Elkhorn Police Department, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office for their cooperation and dedication throughout this investigation. The collective efforts of our agencies reflect a strong commitment to justice, safety, and accountability.” 

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said, “Everyone deserves to be safe and to feel safe. Hate is on the rise in this country – but our office will never hesitate to hold those accountable who make direct threats or who engage in actions that harm others.  Our office proudly stands with the LGBTQ+ community and its leaders in making Lake County safer and better. I want to thank the outstanding investigators with the Round Lake Beach Police Department who found this offender and brought us the case.” 

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a detention petition for Ramlow and a detention hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, July 11, at 1:30 p.m.  

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Lake County State's Attorney's Office
18 N. County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085  
Phone: (847) 377-3000