Selena Gomez Gets Restraining Order Against Illinois Man

Disney star Selena Gomez has obtained a restraining order against a former Des Plaines man who was twice convicted in Cook County of stalking.

A judge in Los Angeles County Superior Court last week ordered Thomas Brodnicki, 46, whose residence is listed as a Los Angeles hotel, to stay at least 100 yards away from Gomez, her parents and an assistant.

In her request for the protective order, the actress says she's been told by authorities that Brodnicki traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles to meet her and that he said he has had conversations with God about killing the actress.

In court documents, Gomez said she feared Brodnicki "will harm them in his attempts to see me or to harm or kill me."

The 19-year-old "Monte Carlo" and "Wizards of Waverly Place" star and girlfriend of teen heartthrob Justin Bieber told the court, which issued the temporary restraining order Oct. 13, that Brodnicki visited her workplace at least three times.

The Los Angeles Police Department's Threat Management Unit was also taking Brodnicki's threat to kill Gomez "extremely seriously," due to his history of stalking, criminal threats, visits to Gomez's workplace and mental illness, according to court records.

Brodnicki allegedly traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles in September to meet Gomez, but police placed him on a 72-hour mental health hold after he told passers-by that he would "scratch people's eyes out," according to court records.

During the detention, Brodnicki allegedly told a doctor that he had thoughts of hurting and killing Gomez. The doctor reported Brodnicki's threats to police because he "presented a serious danger of violence" to Gomez, according to court records.

Brodnicki allegedly has a history of mental illness. He was arrested in 2003 on charges that he stalked a waitress at a Des Plaines restaurant, Des Plaines Police Chief Jim Prandini said. Brodnicki was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to three years in prison, but only after he was found unfit to sta! nd trial in 2007 and recommitted to a mental health facility, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Maria McCarthy said.

It's not clear how much of the three-year sentence Brodnicki served but, just months after his sentencing, in July 2008, he was arrested again in Elk Grove Village and charged with cyberstalking.

In that case, police and prosecutors said Brodnicki stalked a woman for years after first approaching her at a Des Plaines convenience store and then following her to Ames, Iowa, where she was attending college. At the time of his arrest, police said Brodnicki told them he wanted to impregnate the woman and would do so no matter the circumstances.

In that case, Brodnicki pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and was again sentenced, this time in May 2010, to three years in prison. Authorities said Brodnicki likely got credit for time served before his plea, explaining why he was out of prison and apparently free to travel to California.

A hearing regarding the temporary restraining order requested by Gomez is scheduled for Nov. 4 in the Burbank courthouse.

Freelance reporter George Houde and the Burbank, Calif., Leader contributed.