Ex-Ozinga Aide Sent Sexually Explicit Texts To State Rep, Clerk Candidate: State Police
TINLEY PARK, IL — An aide to former State Rep. Tim Ozinga now faces additional charges, after state police said he sent sexually explicit texts to a state representative and a Tinley Park village clerk candidate.
In charging documents obtained by Patch, Timothy Pawula was charged in late September with transmission of obscene messages and harassment through electronic communication regarding texts sent to Rep. Bob Rita (R-Blue Island) and former candidate Ahleah Salefski.
The complaint alleges that Pawula used the app TextFree to mask his identity and send the messages, which reportedly contained fabricated images depicting Rita in a sexually explicit scene with an elected official in Tinley Park. Similarly, Salefski reported she had received harassing texts, also depicting her in a sexually explicit light. Salefski had been running in opposition to the candidate on Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz’s One Tinley Park slate.
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“It was something that really painted me in a negative picture,” Salefski previously told Patch. “I’m a mom who’s involved in a lot in our community. I wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone else in our community, especially another female in our community. It’s gross and disgusting.”
The new charges follow ones filed against Pawula in May. Pawula, who served as Ozinga’s chief of staff prior to the lawmaker’s abrupt resignation in April, was at the time charged with harassment through electronic communication, transmission of obscene messages and obscenity in connection with messages sent to Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort). An investigation into the messages was sparked by a police report filed by Hastings in fall 2023. Those messages were sent from a “spoofed” number, and included fake sexually explicit images of Hastings, Gov. JB Pritzker and other elected officials, with Rita pictured among them, officials said.
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In a call Thursday, Rita said he believed his opposition to a proposed racetrack and casino in Tinley Park could be the motivation behind the messages. Rita said he is involved in both cases—that of Sen. Hastings, and his own.
“This is disturbing, that someone would actually create and distribute among anyone,” Rita said. “Nobody should endure what’s going on here.”
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Glotz on Thursday told Patch he had no connection to the incidents or Pawula, nor any knowledge of the messages.
“Representative Rita and Senator Hastings continue to fabricate stories about their dealings with the Tinley Mental Health Center property, and their supposed opposition to a racetrack and casino,” Glotz said. “Both men sponsored initial legislation to bring a racetrack and casino to Tinley Park. Investigative efforts will confirm that.”
Pawula was due in court on Thursday.
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