St. Clair County deputies arrested a Cahokia Heights mother on Friday after investigators said she made repeated phone calls to a local school, including dozens of threatening calls in which she told an employee she would shoot them when they left for the day. The calls prompted a swift response from on-site school resource officers and law enforcement, and the woman was taken into custody and booked into the St. Clair County jail.
According to a Facebook post from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Cahokia School District 187 contacted deputies after the Mousette Lane campus received multiple telephone threats. Investigators said the caller phoned the school more than 30 times, repeatedly making the threats, before deputies went to the suspect’s home and took her into custody.
The Mousette Lane campus is part of Cahokia Unit School District 187, which serves Cahokia Heights and the surrounding Metro-East area.
Investigation And Charges
A subsequent Facebook update from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as Rochelle L. Tate, who faces a disorderly conduct charge classified as a Class 4 felony for making threats of violence or bodily harm. Deputies transported Tate to the St. Clair County jail following her arrest.
What A Class 4 Felony Means
As per Justia, a Class 4 felony in Illinois carries a potential prison sentence of one to three years, though judges may choose probation or alternative penalties in some cases. Sentences are determined by state law and can vary based on the specifics of each case.
School Safety Response
Local officials emphasized a zero-tolerance approach to school threats, noting that campus resource officers began investigating the calls as soon as they were reported. Investigators said the caller appeared upset over a conversation involving her child, and the case remains under active investigation by local authorities.
Officials also stressed that the charge is an allegation and that Tate, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The story will be updated as new court records or official statements become available.
