Rosemont woman faces witness harassment charges

Cook County prosecutors on Friday superseded two felony counts of permitting the sexual abuse of a child against Patricia Cooper of Rosemont with four counts of harassment of a witness.

While less serious than the previous charges, the new charges still are felonies and carry a possible sentence of probation, or three to seven years in prison.

"I knew from the beginning the police were overreaching," said defense attorney Gustavo Santana, who insists his client and her 26-year-old son Christopher, also a client, are innocent of the charges against them.

Christopher Cooper, of the 6100 block of N. Hawthorne in Rosemont, has been charged with predatory criminal sexual abuse. He is being held without bond in the Cook County jail.

Insisting police had no proof against 67-year-old Patricia Cooper, also of the 6100 block of N. Hawthorne, Santana called the previous charges " a complete fabrication."

"I don't believe they'll be able to prove harassment of a witness either," he added.

As for Cooper's state of mind, Santana says she is understandably upset, having never been arrested before. But he says she and her son are confident they will prevail.

"She's geared up for a fight," he said.