A trio of East Naples teens learned the hard way that there are consequences to making a fake 911 call.
Steven Charleston, 13, and James Prudhomme, 16, both of 4415 Thomasson Drive, and Roger Roodjery, 14, who told deputies he lives at an unknown street address on Blue Heron Drive, all were charged with misusing the 911 system resulting in a cost of more than $100, which is a third-degree felony. If convicted, they could spend more than a year in jail under Florida law.
Collier County Sheriff’s reports say the teens were passengers in a car driven by a 17-year-old friend Saturday night. When the driver was arrested on misdemeanor charges during a traffic stop on U.S. 41 East, Charleston, Prudhomme and Roodjery were allowed to walk home. Minutes later Collier dispatchers received two 911 calls. The first call reported that someone had been robbed at 8625 Saddlebrook Circle. The second said a Chinese restaurant at 8585 Collier Blvd. had been robbed by men wearing masks.
As a result of the 911 calls, several patrol cars and a helicopter were diverted from an unrelated call. Responding deputies drove to the addresses reported in the 911 calls with their lights and sirens activated. After searching both areas they determined that both reports were fake. The telephone numbers used to make the reports led them to Charleston, Prudhomme and Roodjery.
Prudhomme faces additional charges of obstruction and providing false information to a law enforcement officer because he initially gave deputies a fake name and date of birth.