Joe P. Asher
Staff Writer
A Wallins Creek man faces charges after allegedly threatening law enforcement and a judge on Facebook.
Scott Short, 19, of Wallins, was arrested by the Harlan City Police Department and charged with third-degree terroristic threatening on Saturday.
Harlan City Police Officer Hunter Luttrell made the arrest.
“We came across Scott Short on Facebook,” said Luttrell. “He said he was going to burn the judge’s house down and burn a policeman’s houses down. He also said he was going to physically harm their children by kicking them.”
According to the complaint, Short also made claims of having a 9mm handgun.
“He said he had a 9mm and if anybody pulled him over he was going to shoot them,” said Luttrell.
According to Luttrell, Short threatened a Kentucky State Police trooper during his Facebook exchange.
“The first comment he made was directed toward Trooper Jimmy Halcomb,” said Luttrell. “He said he wanted to burn their house down and kick his children.”
Luttrell said Short posted that burning houses and kicking children was a hobby of his, and he also wanted to burn the judge’s house down. Short did not name a specific judge.
“We got a warrant out for him then went to his house at the foot of Wallins,” said Luttrell. “He was with his family — he was actually asleep — we took him out of his house… got him outside and told him he was under arrest.”
Luttrell said Short did not put up a fight when arrested.
Police Chief Mike Thomas noted this sort of activity must be taken seriously.
“He may have thought it was joking, trying to act bigger and badder and tougher on the Internet than what he actually is,” said Thomas. “But still, it’s a threat, and we don’t take those threats lightly. If we see threats like that we’ll pursue them.”
In other police activity, a joint investigation involving the Lynch Police Department and the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Lynch man on burglary charges.
Bobby Sizemore, 32, was charged with first-degree burglary and second-degree burglary on Monday.
Lynch Police Chief Mike Nunley said the arrest is connected to an ongoing investigation.
“We’ve had some burglaries over the last two years,” said Nunley. “It’s been a joint investigation with the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office that spanned about 17 months. Several residences were broken into in the area. We think we have solved two of those. One of the charges is for a residence that was broken into back in November 2010. Mine was for a house that was broken into in November of 2011. It’s still an ongoing investigation and we do expect more charges.”
Harlan County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Winston Yeary said Sizemore’s bond was set at $10,000 full cash for each charge.
“This was good cooperation between our departments and we plan on continuing to make the citizens of our community safer,” said Nunley.
The investigation is ongoing and being conducted by Nunley and Yeary.
Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510 or jasher@heartlandpublications.com
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