Former Maya Employee Accused of Sending Disturbing Shotgun-Toting Photos

Bail was set at $250,000 for a Chicago man accused of sending disturbing picture messages to a former colleague, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Authorities said Nicholas Claxton, 23, sent a text message to a former co-worker at that contained a photo of Claxton donning night vision goggles and what appears to be a bulletproof vest. In one hand, he holds a smartphone. In the other, a shotgun.

He also sent photos showing a stash of ammunition and the body armor panels associated with the ballistic vest, according to a Chicago Police Department news release. 

Citing court records, the Tribune reports Claxton worked as a cook at Maya del Sol and was fired July 23, five days before allegedly sending the photos. Here's the Tribune again: 

[Claxton] was further "upset that his former employer had accessed his credit report three times," said Asst. State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto in court today...The owner of Maya del Sol, Anan Abu-Taleb, said today he decided to go to the police as soon as he saw the photo Claxton allegedly sent.

On Saturday, police searched Claxton's residence in the 1700 block of West 17th Street and found a loaded, sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun with a sling to make it concealable, one military grade ballistic vest with steel plates, one set of night vision goggles, one 12-gauge signal gun and a weapon cleaning kit.

Claxton was charged with one of count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, one count of cyberstalking and a warrant for a probation violation, according to the CPD news release. 

The Tribune reports Claxton has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon and "pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful use of a weapon before Judge James Linn on May 25 and was given 18 months probation and 10 days of community service, according to Scaduto, who said he was found guilty of possession of an assault rifle."