SHAMOKIN - A 26-year-old city man, who claimed two men wearing ski masks burglarized his home, stole Percocet tablets and slashed him with a weapon Jan. 16, has been charged with faking the robbery because he was addicted to drugs.
Andrew Brown, of 616 E. Cameron St., has been charged by Cpl. Bryan Primerano with unsworn falsification to authorities, false reports, possession of Percocet and false alarms to public safety agencies.
According to a police affidavit, Primerano and Patrolman Jarrod Scandle were dispatched at 2 a.m. Jan. 16 to Brown's residence to investigate a burglary. Police were informed that Brown came home and caught two men wearing orange ski masks rummaging through the house he shares with his parents, Gerald and Brenda Elsasser, and his girlfriend, Amber Slodysko. Police also were told that Brown was slashed with some type of weapon.
Police said they were informed one of the intruders was wearing a New York Giants sweatshirt, while the other male was wearing black sweatpants.
Brown told police he spotted one of the alleged burglars in the living room and attempted to apprehend him by tackling him into a wood and glass display case near the steps leading to a cellar. Brown said while he was trying to subdue the burglar, another intruder came out of the kitchen and attacked him with a weapon, causing lacerations. Brown said the intruders then fled down the cellar steps that lead to a rear door on the south side of the residence. He said the suspects then fled into an alley.
Brown told police the burglars stole 16 Percocet tablets prescribed to Brenda Elsasser.
At 9 a.m. Jan. 16, Cpl. Robert Brown of the Pennsylvania State Police Troop F Forensics Services Unit at Montoursville responded to Shamokin Police Station before joining Primerano and Patrolmen Shane Mowery and Raymond Siko II at 616 E. Cameron St. to investigate the residence for evidence, which included fingerprints.
On Jan. 27, Brown and other family members completed written statements about the alleged robbery.
At 4 p.m. Feb. 1, Brown was summoned to the police station to be interviewed again.
Brown, who initially told police his written statement was accurate, was informed that his fingerprints were found in various areas of the alleged robbery scene.
Brown then agreed to take a polygraph test that was scheduled by Patrolman William Miner for 8 p.m. Feb. 1.
At 5:12 p.m. Feb. 1, Gerald Elsasser, Brenda Elsasser and Brown arrived at the police station, where Brown was once again questioned about the robbery. At that time, Brown admitted that he faked the robbery because he was addicted to pills. He admitted to stealing his mother's Percocet tablets and ingesting them and knocking over household items to make it look like a robbery was committed. He also admitted that he lied on his written statement.