Holly MatkinBlair County, PA – A 74-year-old grandmother allegedly threatened to use “white witchery” on a Hollidaysburg police officer unless he agreed to drop the felony drug charge pending against her grandson, according to police.
According to court records, Celestia Barker III contacted the Hollidaysburg Police Department (HPD) on March 27 and asked to speak with the officer overseeing the case against her grandson, Scott Baker, the Altoona Mirror reported.
Baker was recently charged with various felony and misdemeanor offenses in connection with a pending drug case.
Barker told the officer her grandson only had a pipe and a little bit of marijuana and asked him if he “had it in his heart” to just drop the charges against him, according to court documents.
The officer said he hadn’t given any thought to dropping the charges, at which point Barker allegedly told him she practices “white witchery,” and that he might find himself in a car accident or falling down the stairs while feeling like someone pushed him if he didn’t let her grandson go, the Altoona Mirror reported.
The officer warned Barker that it is a crime to threaten a law enforcement officer, but she argued she was simply “making statements,” according to WTAJ.
The officer ultimately disconnected the call, at which point she allegedly called back at least seven times, the Altoona Mirror reported.
Barker allegedly called Blair County 911 several times the following day, to include one call to dispatchers that lasted over 23 minutes, according to court records.
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) subsequently contacted Barker about the alleged threats, but she told them she was only giving the officer an ultimatum – just like he gave her grandson, police said.
The PSP asked then asked her about the call she placed to the HPD officer handling her grandson’s case and the threats he said she made against him, WTAJ reported.
“Yes, I did do that,” she responded, according to police. “Is there a law against it?”
The PSP investigator advised her that there indeed is a law against threatening law enforcement officers.
Barker then allegedly explained to him that she has special powers that allow her to work with “white witchery” and warned him that he and his fellow officers “best be looking over their shoulder,” court documents read, according to WTAJ.
Barker was ultimately charged with felony threatening unlawful harm to influence the judicial process, as well as misdemeanor offenses of disorderly conduct, communications with 911, and three counts of harassment, the Altoona Mirror reported.
She was arraigned on April 1 and unsecured bail was set at $10,000.
Barker’s next court hearing is scheduled for April 26.
