FREDERICK, Md. — A North Bethesda woman is facing criminal charges after a false 9-1-1 call about a home invasion led to a major police response, according to Montgomery County Police.
Investigators say 27-year-old Moesha Gardener sent text messages to her husband on October 8th, claiming that an unknown man had broken into their McGrath Boulevard residence. To support the story, she shared a computer-generated image depicting a supposed intruder sitting on their couch. Believing the situation was real, her husband called 9-1-1, prompting eight police cruisers to rush to the scene.
When officers arrived, Gardener was found alone and later admitted that the report was fabricated. Police determined that a cell phone mounted on a tripod had been used to stage the scene. Gardener was arrested two days later and charged with making false statements to law enforcement.
Authorities emphasized that filing false emergency reports—commonly known as “swatting”—poses serious risks to public safety and can lead to significant legal consequences.
