Published: July 12, 2008 12:16 am      

Soboroff in County Jail

Arrested for harassment Friday

CLINTON — Calamus resident Jeffery Soboroff was arrested Friday morning on charges of harassment and willful disturbance. He is being held in the Clinton County Jail. His bail has been set at $5,650, cash or surety.

According to an affidavit filed at approximately 9 a.m. Friday, Soboroff called the Clinton Department of Human Services Office at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday and spoke with Social Worker Supervisor Carena Clark. Clinton County Deputy Jessup Schroeder states in the affidavit, that Clark has never spoken with or met Soboroff before and had “little knowledge of his history of calling government agencies.”

The statement relates to a Clinton County District Court injunction issued against Soboroff on June 12, restraining him from harassing county offices after he repeatedly called the offices of the county attorney, auditor, board of supervisors, communications and sheriff’s department, causing workplace disruption and loss of productivity.

The affidavit filed Friday states Soboroff called the DHS office to discover the name of a caseworker who came to his residence recently to do an investigation. Schroeder wrote in the document that Clark reported Soboroff explained he fights drug activity armed only with a video camera and started talking about how his attorney allegedly took all of his money for a rental property.

During the phone call, Soboroff reportedly relayed to Clark that the Clinton County Attorney is out to get him and prints nothing but lies about him in the newspaper. Clark told sheriff’s deputies that Soboroff stated he runs his own newspaper and that he places his enemies on his Web site, making them pay by telling the truth and printing nasty articles.

Soboroff then allegedly told Clark about a garbage truck in the city of Calamus that is loaded with cameras, claiming the driver spies on him frequently, and said his wife had been run out of town because of racism.

The affidavit states Soboroff advised Clark that the DHS made a friend of his leave his residence, saying the agency had no right to make the friend leave and he was going to make DHS pay. Soboroff told Clark he is mad because DHS involvement with his friend has changed everything in his friend’s life, then reportedly began talking about dogs defecating on his floor and dead dogs. Soboroff expressed to Clark that he thinks all law enforcement is corrupt and he is upset because he was threatened by people from Davenport and the police did not help him.

Clark interrupted Soboroff and said she was sorry, but DHS could not help him with many of the issues he discussed. Soboroff allegedly replied, “You work with the County Attorney’s Office and we all know what that means.” Clark told deputies that she advised Soboroff she could not release any information about the investigation he had originally called about due to confidentiality issues. Soboroff reportedly warned Clark that if she did not call his friend within 24 hours and allow him to return to his residence he would make her pay.

Clark recounted that Soboroff said she had no idea of the extent of his powers, saying he would be writing articles in a paper and she had no idea how rotten he could be. Soboroff also reportedly told Clark he now had her name and he was going to make her pay no matter what it took. Clark said she told Soboroff she needed to end the call and Soboroff replied, “Do what you have to but if you don’t call my friend within 24 hours I will make you pay however I can,” and hung up.

According to the affidavit, the call lasted 27 minutes. Clark told deputies that she was concerned for her safety based on Soboroff’s statements to her.

The Clinton County Attorney’s Office filed an application for revocation of probation on Friday morning, based on the charges of harassment and willful disturbance. Soboroff currently is on probation with the Seventh Judicial District Department of Corrections, part of the sentence he received after being convicted of making threats in the city of Calamus. A probation revocation hearing will be held Thursday to determine if Soboroff violated his probation when he recently left his probation officer a voicemail warning her to stay out of his business with the Rock Island Police Department and Rock Island School District and allegedly threatened workers at the Social Security Administration.

Soboroff still faces charges including three counts of harassment in the third degree and one count of extortion following incidents occurring while he was on trial for the threats charge on March 10. Soboroff has pleaded not guilty. His trial on those charges is scheduled to begin July 28 at 9 a.m.