Posted: 5/17/05
False kidnapping report leads to arrest
A La Crosse, Wisconsin woman led local authorities on a wild goose chase after falsely reporting her own kidnapping on May 12.
Jessica Lee Spencer, 23, was charged in Olmsted County on May 12 with falsely reporting a crime and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. She posted $1,500 bail that night at the Olmsted County Jail.
The Houston County Sheriff Department was notified by the LaCrosse County Sheriff Department at about 12:43 a.m. on May 12 that they were in the process of receiving a complaint of a possible kidnapping
The LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Sheriff Department further reported they were receiving a second hand report that a female was locked in a van in a garage in the Hokah area.
Officers from Onalaska, La Crescent, Caledonia, and the Houston County Sheriff Department began investigating.
Text messages were made via a cell phone on at least two different occasions indicating ìhelpî and ìhelp Caledonia.î During the course of the investigation, calls were made via cell phone from the alleged victim to a boy friend, who relayed information to law enforcement officers.
Eventually police spoke directly with this victim who gave information that she felt she had been drugged because she was tired and couldnít remember things.
Contact was made with Spencer on her cell phone and another suspectís cell phone. Information received during these time frames included purported kidnapper information, various vehicle descriptions, and locations.
At approximately 2 a.m. Houston County Sheriff deputies located Spencer at a residence in Wilmington Township in rural Caledonia. At 2:15 a.m. Spencer was arrested by deputies on charges of falsely reporting a crime and disorderly conduct. Spencer was transported to the Olmsted County Jail in Rochester, because the Houston County Jail cannot house females.
Charges are also pending against a 54-year-old Onalaska, Wisconsin, man for misdemeanor of aiding in the falsely reported crime and misdemeanor drug possession.
Spencerís next court appearance will be June 6 at 8:30 a.m. in Third District Court in Caledonia.
Chief deputy Ken Frank said that squad cars at one point went through the Hokah area with their sirens on, thinking that the woman might hear them and be able to lead police to her whereabouts.
ìIt could have been real,î Frank said.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com