Fayette County man accused of impersonating first responders in emergency dispatches

Paul Peirce | Friday, February 8, 2019 4:24 p.m.

A Fayette County man was arrested Thursday by Uniontown Police on five counts of impersonating a public servant for allegedly making 21 illegal radio transmissions over the county emergency dispatch system while posing as a first responder.

When police identified Jonathan M. Campbell, 27, as a suspect he told investigators he recently purchased a portable, two-way radio over the internet for $32 and programmed the county’s emergency dispatch frequency on it in order to make transmissions, according to an affidavit filed by city police officer Jamie Holland.

In addition to impersonating a public servant, Campbell was also arraigned before District Judge Michael Metros on two counts each of making false alarms to agencies of public safety and risking a catastrophe and single counts of possessing instruments of crime and criminal use of a communication facility.

Holland reported in court documents that Campbell made the transmissions on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3.

In one transmission, Campbell allegedly reported there was a structure fire in Luzerne Township, Holland said.

When initially questioned, Holland reported Campbell immediately offered to turn over his hand-held radio to police.

“Campbell apologized for using the radio and stated that he will not do it again,” Holland wrote.

Metros ordered Campbell held in the county prison, pending a preliminary Feb. 19 hearing, after he failed to post $5,000 bail.

Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.