A Caledonia woman is pressing charges against her 26-year-old daughter because she hopes the young woman can get the treatment she needs behind bars for her heroin addiction.
Tammy Rothe of West Allis was charged Monday in Racine County Circuit Court with seven felony counts of personal ID theft for financial gain. If convicted, she faces up to 42 years in prison and/or up to $70,000 in fines.
Rothe is currently being held in the Milwaukee County Jail and had to be transported to Racine for her initial appearance.
According to the criminal complaint, Caledonia police were alerted in April to a report of identity theft by a resident who said her Kohl's charge card was used for seven different transactions on two dates in March totaling $962.42. The woman canceled her card, but at the time, didn't name any possible suspects.
Store surveillance photos time stamped at the same time as the listed transactions were shown to the woman, and she identified Rothe as the suspect. Police say the woman told them Rothe was arrested on March 28 in Milwaukee for heroin possession.
Online inmate records at the Milwaukee County Jail show Rothe in custody there since March 28.
The woman told officers Rothe's two children are living with their other grandparent and that maybe a stint in jail will get Rothe the treatment she needs.
Rothe was assigned a $500 cash bond Monday and is due back in Racine for a July 3 preliminary hearing.
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