# Chicago man admits to federal court closure incident, faces up to two years in prison

> Chicago man admits to federal court closure incident, faces up to two years in prison.
- Title: Chicago man admits to federal court closure incident, faces…
- Summary: Chicago man admits to federal court closure incident, faces up to two years in prison. Mario Santoyo, 40, admitted to possessing a dangerous weapon at…
- Keywords: mario santoyo, chicago, federal court, dirksen building, july 2025, dangerous weapon, prison sentence, news, local, man, admits, federal
- Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/la-voz/2026/10/20/hombre-que-provoco-cierre-de-la-corte-federal-de-chicago-se-declara-culpable-enfrenta-dos-anos-de-prision
- Published: 2026-10-20T20:28:53.799+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: mario santoyo, chicago, federal court, dirksen building, july 2025, dangerous weapon, prison sentence, news, local
## Chicago man admits to federal court closure incident
Mario Santoyo, 40, admitted to possessing a dangerous weapon at Chicago federal court in July 2025 and faces up to two years in prison.
## Santoyo declares culpable for weapon possession
Santoyo admitted to federal judge Mary Rowland that he carried a knife over 2.5 inches long into the Dirksen federal building on July 22, 2025.
## Santoyo claims gangsters were trying to kill him
Santoyo told security he was being targeted by gangsters or gangbangers who wanted to kill him, according to a criminal complaint.
## Santoyo draws knife near his neck
Santoyo drew a knife near his neck and threatened to harm himself after security told him FBI offices were elsewhere.
## Court closure event
The incident lasted about nine hours, paralyzed traffic on Dearborn Street, and forced evacuation of a 30-story building.
## Santoyo arrested after nine hours
Santoyo was arrested by non-lethal force at 8 p.m. on July 22, 2025, after a nine-hour standoff.
## Santoyo faces up to two years in prison
Santoyo admitted to possessing a dangerous weapon at Chicago federal court in July 2025 and faces up to two years in prison.
## Santoyo had second knife hidden
Santoyo was found to have a second knife hidden in his backpack, according to federal records.
## Santoyo's defense team
Santoyo's defense team admitted authorities had no idea what was inside his backpack.
## Santoyo's sentence set for January 12
Federal judge Mary Rowland set Santoyo's sentencing date for January 12, 2027, after he admitted to weapon possession.
## Santoyo's prison term
Santoyo faces up to two years in prison for weapon possession at a federal court building in Chicago.
## Key takeaway

Mario Santoyo, 40, admitted to possessing a dangerous weapon at Chicago federal court in July 2025 and faces up to two years in prison.