Man arrested for death threats to Macomb County judge

A Washington Township man is under arrest after threatening to kill a prominent Macomb County judge.

Keith Rebar, 55, is charged with making death threats to Macomb County Judge Katherine Viviano if a child custody case didn't go his way.

Eric Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor

"A specific death threat against a sitting circuit court judge is something new to all of us," said Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith.

Smith says deputies arrested Rebar at his home after tipsters reported growing concerns over verbal threats he was making. He had allegedly been angry about a child support case.

"This one scared everybody, this threat," Smith said. "Because it was very specific. (He was saying he would use) a bomb under her car, a pressure cooker bomb under her car, a gun to shoot her."

In addition, Smith says Rebar also threatened to break out windows of Sterling Heights police vehicles. And police say Rebar told them he had visions of entering an office, lining people up, and shooting bullets above their heads.

"The sheriff's department was quick and their actions got him off the street, hopefully before he got a chance to do anything about it," Smith said.

Rebar is charged with one count of false report or threat of terrorism, a felony carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years.

"Given where society is today, law enforcement just can't take these sorts of things lightly," Smith said.

Rebar is being held at the Macomb County jail on a $100,000 bond, if convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.