DATE/TIME: Saturday, July 22, 2023, at approximately 11:30 a.m.
INCIDENT: PC 653(X) – Annoy/Harass 911/Emergency Phone System(s)
LOCATION: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
SUSPECT(S): Luke Edward Dumas, 48-year-old male, resident of Rialto
VICTIM(S): San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
SUMMARY: Between April 2023 and July 21, 2023, an emergency response division of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department received approximately 7,000 harassing non-emergency spam calls from an unidentified suspect using an “unknown” number. The calls were annoying and harassing and prevented staff from quickly attending to other legitimate emergency calls.
Upon investigation, the caller was identified as Luke Edward Dumas. On Saturday, July 22, 2023, Dumas was taken into custody and booked at West Valley Detention Center for PC 653(x) Annoying and Harassing Calls to Emergency Lines, PC 372 Public Nuisance, PC 148.2 Interfering with Emergency Services, PC 148(a)(1) Resisting and Delaying an Officer, and CVC 23103 Reckless Driving.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department emergency phone systems are to be used in cases of emergency only, and abuse of any phone systems will be taken seriously as it prohibits law enforcement from performing their duties. Spam calling law enforcement’s emergency phone systems and normal business phone systems could expose the public to prolonged wait times and further risk of danger.
Investigators believed Dumas may be connected to additional harassing and annoying calls to emergency services throughout the Inland Empire. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Detective A. Hylin at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Headquarters, at (909) 387-3727. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or you may leave the information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.
Refer: Detective A. Hylin
Station: Headquarters
Phone No.: 909-387-3727
Case No.: 642300092
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department
