Woman Charged in Pottstown School Shooting Plot

DA: Mom conspired with her stepson to hide guns.

Updated 5:00 PM EST, Thu, Jan 8, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

Julie Macedo turned herself in Thursday. She's the woman accused in the case of a Pottstown teen's Columbine-like plot to allegedly shoot everyone he didn't like at his high school.

Macedo's not accused of anything evil or sinister in this case. She's accused of flat out lying to police, with a nasty attitude, and conspiring with a teen to get rid of the guns and ammo that were going to be used in that attack.

In a nutshell, police say the teen who was planning the attack, stole his dad's guns and ammo and gave them to another teenager to hide, until he was ready to carry out his plan.

Macedo was let in on the secret that the weapons and bullets were being stashed away.

Prosecutors say instead of doing the right thing (pick up the phone and call police, right?) Macedo helped the teen get rid of the evidence.

She drove him to the Manatawny Creek in River Front Park in Pottstown Borough where he threw the guns and ammunition into the water, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.

After that, the teen decided to tell a teacher what was going on. That teacher DID call police and that's when the Columbine-like plot began to unravel.

The Collegeville Dive Team recovered the handguns and 248 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition from the creek.

Macedo is charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence, Conspiracy at Tampering with Evidence, Recklessly Endangering Other Persons and False Reports to Law Enforcement.

Before getting rid of the evidence, police say Macedo was present for an interview with her juvenile co-defendant.

She got slapped with they false report or lying charge because police say during that interview, she berated them for not doing their job and she flat out lied about an alibi for the teen.

Macedo was freed after posting bail.