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Cops: Halloween mischief maker arrested on charges he spread false reports of gang violence

by Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
Monday December 01, 2008, 9:47 PM

A Jersey City man was arrested yesterday for allegedly making mischief on the Internet on Mischief Night, the day before Halloween, by spreading false reports of gang violence in Jersey City and Bayonne.

Subpoenas served at Comcast and the Website JCList.com led to the arrest of Andrew T. Lazaro, 19, of Bentley Avenue, yesterday on one count of causing false public alarm, Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey said in a press release tonight.

The statements posted on JCList on Oct. 30 under the moniker "Tom" claimed that several school girls and women in Jersey City and Bayonne were shot as part of a gang initiation, causing calls to flood into the 9-1-1 emergency system, officials said.

"This is the type of reckless behavior that needlessly causes alarm and panic in the community," Comey said. "Let this serve as a message to people who commit similar frauds, you can't hide behind the computer. You will be found and prosecuted for posting criminal falsehoods. The law is very specific on that."

Although there were responses that contradicted Lazaro's postings, Lazaro tried to bolster his postings by saying his sources were police officers and that he was listening to a police scanner, Comey said.

The chief likened Lazaro's postings to yelling fire in a crowded movie theater.

Lazaro, who turned himself into police this morning accompanied by his father, was charged with a single count of causing false public alarm, a third-degree crime. A conviction can carry up to five years in prison, but persons with no prior criminal record are not likely to receive jail time.

Lazaro could not be reached to comment.

Police in Jersey City beefed up security at schools due to the reports of impending violence and in some Hudson County communities school events were canceled.

JCList founder and Webmaster Dan Falcon said tonight he was "astonished" by Lazaro's arrest.

"I didn't think he was being malicious, because if people are doing that, we really moderate that stuff," Falcon said.

"The good thing about JCList is when someone goes on there and is trying to make trouble and post some bad information, a dozen other people go out there and say you're lying. They keep the information in check," he added.

JCList tries to protect the identity of people who post on the site. But issued a subpoena, Falcon felt he had no choice but to give authorities the information they sought.