A Carter County man faces a criminal charge after police say he confessed to fabricating a story about his home being broken into.
Carter County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jason Mosier issued a criminal summons to Keelan Townsend, 18, of Elizabethton, on Thursday charging him with filing a false report.
Shortly before 1 p.m. on Thursday, deputies of the Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a home on Blue Springs Road after Townsend called 911 to report a break-in in progress at his home.
“While I was responding, 911 Comm Center advised me that the caller stated that the suspect just ran out the back door of the residence,” Mosier said. “Upon my arrival, I searched the residence and did not find any other suspects inside.”
Mosier said he then spoke with Townsend, who told officers when he arrived home he noticed the back door was open. “He stated that he then noticed that it had been pried open and he called 911,” Mosier said. “He stated that he then observed a white male in blue jeans and a blue flannel shirt fled out of the back door.”
Additional officers from the Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene along with Elizabethton Police Department Cpl. Sarah Dingus and her K-9 Kero responded to search for the suspect.
“Officer Dingus deployed K-9 Kero in an attempt to track the suspect,” Mosier said. “Officer Dingus advised that K-9 Kero only picked up on Keelan’s scent.”
Once the home owners arrived on scene, Mosier said officers entered the home to try to determine what if anything had been taken. Mosier said a safe had been located in the home that contained medication.
“The safe was busted open and the medication was gone,” Mosier said, adding a digital camera had also been stolen. “All of the other rooms appeared to have not been disturbed.
“There was a hammer found in Keelan’s bedroom that had the same paint color on it as the safe did,” he added. “I believe that the hammer was used to bust the safe open.”
Around 4:30 p.m., Mosier said Townsend arrived at the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and spoke with him about the break-in he had reported earlier.
“He stated that he did not tell the truth about the break-in and stated that it was him who had broken into the safe to get his pain medication,” Mosier said, adding he then issued Townsend a citation charging him with filing a false report.
Townsend is scheduled to appear in Carter County General Sessions Court on Oct. 18 for arraignment.