Belleville school employee charged after allegedly bringing gun to work
A Belleville school employee who allegedly brought a handgun to work last week is facing a misdemeanor charge of unlawful use of a weapon in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
Brittany A. Anderson, 29, of Belleville, had been working as a playground, cafeteria and bus supervisor at Central Junior High School.
“Anderson knowingly carried in a vehicle a 9mm pistol at a time when she was not on her own land, or in her own abode, or fixed place of business,” according to the charging document.
Belleville police Assistant Chief Mark Heffernan told the BND on Wednesday, April 26, that a handgun had been found in the purse of a then-unnamed female employee of Central Junior High School on the prior Monday after the purse was left in an “employee-only area” of the school.
When asked on Monday, May 1, about the discrepancy between the police report and charging document, Chris Allen, spokesman for State’s Attorney James Gomric’s office, sent an email that stated:
“No additional information will be made available at this time beyond the contents of the charging document. The document reflects the charging attorney’s theory of the offense deemed appropriate under the circumstances, and the factual assertions necessary to support that theory.”
The charge against Anderson is a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to a year in jail and $2,500 in fines.
Ryan Boike, superintendent of Belleville School District 118, declined to comment on the charge on Monday, May 1, noting that it’s a personnel matter, but he spoke in general terms about school safety.
“We turn that sort of thing over to local law enforcement,” he said. “Obviously, we want to keep kids safe. ... There are state and federal laws that govern what should and shouldn’t be at school.”
When asked if Anderson was still employed by the school district, the superintendent said, “She has not been back to school, and we do not anticipate her returning to school.”
Police took Anderson into custody on Monday evening, April 24. As of late Tuesday, the state’s attorney’s office was still making a determination of what charges were “appropriate,” Allen stated in an email.
St. Clair County Associate Judge Leah Captain set Anderson’s bond at $5,000 on Wednesday, April 26. Anderson was later released after paying the required $470 (10% minus credit for time in custody), according to Allen.
Boike had sent an email on Tuesday, April 25, to District 118 parents, notifying them that an employee had been found in possession of a gun on school property the evening before.
“The employee had the handgun in an area restricted to employees, not accessible to students, for the purpose of personal safety, and stored in a personal bag,” the superintendent wrote. “The District immediately notified local law enforcement officials of the incident and they are handling the matter.“
Boike noted that state and federal laws prohibit the possession of guns or any other weapons on school property.
“We can report that at no time was any student or employee in any imminent danger,” he wrote. “The safety of our school community is always our top priority! We take this matter seriously and will take immediate action to ensure all employees are fully aware of the prohibition against weapons on school property.”
District 118 includes about 3,500 students at two junior high schools, eight elementary schools and a pre-kindergarten center.
