The case started when the man, Jonathan Daniel, created the Twitter account @peoriamayor, in March 2014, using a picture of the mayor, Jim Ardis, and linking to the city website.

Mr. Daniel labeled the account a parody several days after it was created and after tweets had been sent out. The account has since been deleted, but The Journal Star of Peoria reported at the time that it had references to sex and drug use.

Soon after the Twitter account appeared, Mr. Ardis told other city officials in an email, “i absolutely will prosecute. bring it on,” according to the newspaper.

In April 2014, warrants to obtain the name behind the account and to search Mr. Daniel’s residence were obtained. Up to seven officers raided the house. The account had already been suspended by then, but three people were taken in for questioning.