Monaco is best known as the lead guitarist for Chicago hard rock group Enuff Z’nuff. He is also the frontman for his alternative rock solo project low-tek. 

Monaco, real name John Monaco, started receiving harassing and threatening emails from this individual on December 30^th. The address line of the first email stated that it came from a JACK PACIOLLA using an earthlink email account. In this email the sender told Monaco he looked like Tori Amos and accused him of being a “crazy petifile” (that’s pedophile for those who can spell).

Then on Jan 2^nd Monaco received an email that claimed “…and i am gonna kill you January 12th 2001 bitch.” This email originated this time from a hotmail account. Since that time Monaco has received several more emails harassing him about his guitar playing, cloths among other things and told the guitarist that “...The day is approaching that you will die. . . .”
 

While Monaco originally wrote off the emails as a crank, the band’s management took a more serious stance and began taking steps to track down the offender. Monaco then offered fans a reward of dinner at Fuddruckers on him at a Chicago area restaurant if provided with information that helped find the sender of the emails. 

Hotmail refused to cooperate or release information on this user without a court order. However, the hotmail email service does print originating IP addresses in their email headers, using this address and some hacker tricks Monaco was able to track the sender down to a school district in Arlington Heights, Il. 

Monaco told antiMUSIC, “Most of the emails were sent between 10:00 - 11:00 am, which indicates to me that it is a daily class.So it's probably some kid that somehow got a CD and hates me.” 

The network administrator for the Illinois school district was contacted by Monaco for assistance and is working on tracking down the individual who is sending the emails. Monaco took the extra step of filing a report with local police, which thus far has failed to produce results, “It's not a big crime it's like disturbing the peace.Until I'm actually killed that is.It's a federal thing.Takes a long time.” Monaco told antiMUSIC, “So I went to the police station made a report but they said they can't do much, but they'll look into it. “ 

While Illinois law lacks direct provision for email threats and harassment, under federal law the offender could face up to 5 years in prison if tracked down, prosecuted and convicted of sending these emails under the Federal Communications Act Title V. 

In the meantime Monaco takes the emails and threats in stride, approaching the subject publicly with a sense of humor that has adored him to fans since he joined Enuff Z’nuff in 1995.When asked how he feels about emails, he jokes; “I'm not worried about the death threats so much but I am a little concerned that my target audience, teenagers, don't like my tunes. Lame, Lame, Lame.They haven't heard the new ones though....HEAVY!!” (Monaco is referring to music from his solo project low-tek.)
 
 

Update:

antiMUSIC learned at 12:30 pm  1-12-01 that the person believed responsible for sending the emails  "has been identified and taken into custody" Details are sparse at the moment but there are indications that the person apprehended is a student at the Buffalo Groove High School  in Buffalo Groove, Il  (The high school is part of the Township High School District in Arlington Heights, Il. and has been the recipient of a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon of Excellence Award. )

 
 

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