Man attacks court officer after being sentenced to prison

WAUKEGAN – A man in court for sentencing Feb. 15 faces additional felony charges after police said he attacked a court officer who was taking him into custody.

About 4:15 p.m., Maseo B. Rosser, 22, of the 200 block of West Oak Lane, Winthrop Harbor, was in court being sentenced on a 2020 criminal charge of aggravated discharge of a firearm. Rosser had been out on bail before the sentencing.

At the sentencing, a Lake County judge sentenced Rosser to prison for seven years and six months.

When a Lake County Sheriff’s court officer began taking Rosser into custody, he attacked the court officer, punching him in the face and headbutting him, police said. Another court officer and two deputies who were in the courtroom were able to subdue Rosser, although he continued to resist arrest for several minutes.

After being subdued, Rosser verbally threatened a police officer who was in the courtroom and had provided testimony at the sentencing hearing.

Rosser was taken into custody and remanded to the Lake County Jail before being transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The court officer suffered a broken nose as a result of the attack, according to the news release.

Rosser was charged in the incident with aggravated battery to a peace officer, a Class 2 felony; resisting a peace officer causing injury, a Class 4 felony; and aggravated assault, a Class 4 felony.