The Massachusetts man accused of making fake dispatch calls across Litchfield County appeared in court Monday.
Adam Perrelli, 35, had his first court appearance Monday after he was taken into custody Friday by troopers in Pittsfield, Mass.
Perrelli, of Great Barrington, Mass., is accused of making at least eight fake emergency radio transmissions that interfered with and interrupted emergency calls for services between Dec. 25, 2013 to Jan. 6, 2014.
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After receiving the fake calls, state police conducted a criminal investigation and believe Perrelli used a lost or stolen portable radio or electronic device.
Officials said equipment like this is readily available. There's nothing really high-tech about the crime, but it is highly unusual.
"There are some safeguards that we have in place, but this person was able to override a couple of them," said John Barbagallo, of Litchfield County Dispatch.
Local
State police released recordings of the false emergency radio transmissions made over the Litchfield County Dispatch system, which dispatches fire and ambulance crews in northwestern Connecticut.
"That distribution assistance by the media led to several leads being developed by Detectives and many leads were a direct result of the public being made aware of the incident and coming forward with information," state police said.
Listen to the calls here:
- Police released this call on Jan. 10
- Police also released this call on Jan. 10
- Police released this fake dispatch
- You can listen to another false dispatch here
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Perrelli was arraigned Friday in a Massachusetts Court where he waived extradition and was taken into custody by Connecticut State Police.
He was charged with first-degree reporting a false incident, first degree reckless endangerment, interruption of computer service, computer crime in the third-degree, interfering with an officer and tampering with physical evidence.
He is being held on a $150,000 bond and is due back in court April 30.
The investigation is continuing and state police said additional arrests are possible.
Anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 860-626-1821. Calls will be kept confidential.
