NATION : Arrest in 3,000 Obscene Calls
- Share via
BALTIMORE — A man suspected of making 3,000 obscene phone calls over 24 years has been arrested after officers staked out a pay phone, police said.
Victor Herbert Gardner, 46, was arrested at his home Wednesday, county Police Sgt. Stephen Doarnberger said.
He was charged with 39 counts of telephone misuse, carrying a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $500 fine. The charges were only for calls in the past year, because of a statute of limitations.
After an obscene call was traced by C&P; Telephone and a pay phone was staked out, Gardner was identified as the person responsible for frequent calls to women’s college dormitories and pay phones near girls’ schools, Doarnberger said.
The caller asked the women to undress and fondle themselves, victims said, threatening to harm the victims’ friends or relatives, whom he said he had kidnaped, unless the women did what he asked. No kidnapings actually occurred, police said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
