Police: Teen placed 70 911 calls

NEWTON COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Approximately 70 harrassing 911 calls made earlier this week led to a search involving multiple police departments and the arrest of one Newton County teen.

Newton County deputies began searching for the caller shortly after 7:00 p.m. Monday evening after receiving reports that harassing 911 calls had been made from a cell phone in an area southwest of Lake Village in Newton County.

Police said that after the search began, the calls grew more sinister. They said the caller made bomb threats to the Sheriff's Department and threatened to shoot the officers taking part in the search. Police said the calls continued escalating as the search wore on. The caller claimed to have a female hostage.

Police said the search continued for more than seven hours before the suspect was located in the residence of a homeowner uninvolved in the incident.

Police said the homeowner was called out of the residence by a SWAT team. The suspect, 18-year-old Brandon Leahy of Lake Village, called police shortly thereafter to surrender. Leahy was taken into custody without incident shortly after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, police said.

Police said the calls referring to a hostage were unfounded and that they believed the calls were intended to alarm.

Leahy has been charged with felony intimidation, disorderly conduct, harrassment, and false informing. Police said additional charges are pending.

Leahy is being held without bond until his court appearance.

Police said that during an interview following his arrest, Leahy confessed to his involvement and admitted that he had taken part in similar activities in the past.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Newton County Sheriff's Department, the Jasper County Sheriff's Department, the Indiana State Police, and the Lake County Sheriff's Department. K9 units, patrol units, tactical units, negotiation specialists, a mobile command center, and a helicopter unit were all involved in the investigation.