Wisconsin Man Charged With LGBTQ+ Hate Crime

William Ramlow, 38, of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, has been charged with a Class 4 felony hate crime for posting a violent, threatening comment against the LGBTQ+ community on the Facebook page of the LGBTQ+ Center of Lake County, Illinois. The comment was discovered on June 3, leading Round Lake Beach police to launch an investigation that traced the IP address to Wisconsin. Ramlow was arrested there on June 13 with assistance from local authorities and extradited to Illinois, where he appeared in court. Prosecutors are seeking to keep him detained pending trial. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and Police Chief Ryan Rodriguez emphasized their zero-tolerance stance on hate crimes and expressed strong support for the LGBTQ+ community. The case underscores the rise in hate incidents and the collaborative efforts of Illinois and Wisconsin law enforcement.