University Police arrested two NIU students and two of their friends Saturday for calling another student 19 times during the weekend and threatening her.

NIU student Jeffery Ellison Barlow, 20, 311 Stevenson Towers South, and Tabitha J. Miller, 19, Chicago, were charged with harassment by telephone and illegal possession of alcohol.

Also charged in the incident were Kerri L. Rowland, 18, Chicago, and Donald Lee Bianchini, 20, 402 Stevenson Towers South, who were charged with illegal consumption of alcohol.

Barlow and Miller began calling the victim, an 18-year-old NIU freshman who also lives at Stevenson Towers, around 1 a.m. on Friday, the victim said.

The pair’s threats ranged from “we’re going to kick your ass” and a promise to rip her arms off to graphic sexual accusations, UP Sgt. Ralph Taylor said. After the 19th call in almost 24 hours, the victim called the police and a trap was put on her telephone. The UPs can put traps on on-campus phones at any time if it is an emergency, Taylor said.

When the next call came, police were led to Barlow’s room, where the group allegedly was drinking alcohol, police said.

“I don’t think it’s a big deal that we were prank-calling her. It was a mistake, and I’m sorry for what I did,” Barlow said.

The victim said she did not know why the group decided to pick on her. She said she knows Miller from high school and considered her to be a friend, although they had not talked lately.

Although the UPs often handle cases involving harassment by telephone, Taylor said lately there had been an unusual flurry of incidents.

“Maybe victims are calling in because they are fed up and it’s happened enough already or maybe it’s a spring increase,” Taylor said.

Taylor said too many people think telephone harassment is a prank they can get away with, but it is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a possible six-month jail sentence and up to $500 in fines.