Man sentenced for prank calls
A Fayette County judge sentenced a repeat prank caller to the county’s 911 center to 11 ½ to 23 months in prison, and ordered him to have a mental evaluation on Thursday.
Richard Crossland, 49, of Uniontown entered guilty pleas in four cases involving counts of false alarm, false reports, reckless endangerment and criminal associated with calls he made to the emergency call center in November and January.
Uniontown police said Crossland gave fake names, and reported everything from a hostage situation to a shooting.
On Nov. 4, Crossland told a dispatcher that there was a domestic dispute that involved a gun at a home on Millview Street in Uniontown. Police did go to the home, but no one answered the door and there was no evidence of anything going on there.
A couple of weeks later, on Nov. 18, Crossland again called 911 to report that there was a shooting at a bar on North Gallatin Avenue and a man had been hit several times. Authorities again responded, and found nothing.
Around 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1, Crossland called 911 and told a dispatcher that a man was holding hostages at gunpoint in a home on Connellsville Street, police indicated.
Authorities said officers tactically entered the home and briefly detained a man found inside before determining that the call was another hoax.
Crossland’s final call came on Jan. 5, when he gave a fake name again and reported that he accidentally shot his wife and a home on Evans Street.
Police went to the home, and when no one answered the door, police forced their way into the home, believing there were exigent circumstances.
The people who lived in the home talked with police, who determined that it was another prank call.
Authorities worked with Verizon Wireless to track down phone records, and also relied upon tips to identify Crossland as the caller.