LANSING – Today, Christopher Shenberger, 43, of White Lake, was sentenced to 58-240 months’ incarceration after pleading guilty to one count of Attempted False Report or Threat of Terrorism as a habitual fourth offender for threatening his sentencing judge, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. This sentence is to be served consecutively to his current prison sentence. 

In December of 2021, Shenberger sent a letter to an Ingham County Circuit Court judge complaining about potentially being denied parole for not completing a required sex offender program while incarcerated and threatening the judge’s life. This was the same Circuit Court judge who, in 2016, sentenced Shenberger to 75–180 months' incarceration for two counts of 3rd-degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and one count of Criminal Sexual Conduct 4th degree. Shenberger is currently serving this sentence.  

Shenberger wrote in the letter that if he were required to serve his maximum sentence, he would put “everyone’s name on that docket” on a slip of paper to “go into a jar or whatever and who’s ever name [is picked] up will be killed plain and simple.”     

“Revenge threats against prosecutors and judges are serious offenses and my office will diligently prosecute these crimes to protect the public servants in our justice system,” said Nessel at the time of Shenberger’s guilty plea. “No judge should be sacrificing their own safety when they fulfill their duties protecting the public.”  

Shenberger was charged in the 30th Circuit Court in Ingham County, but as a Judge in that Court was the subject of the threat, visiting Judge John McBain of the Jackson County Circuit Court presided over the matter. 

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