A Monroe County man has been arrested and charged with 24 counts of abusive phone calls to an emergency service.
Larry Thomas Lee, 50, of 60180 Hatley Detroit Road in Amory, called E-911 on 24 separate occasions over the course of six days last week, making sexually explicit statements to emergency operators.
Lee, a registered sex offender, made numerous threats against children when he spoke to the operators, according to Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell.
“He was calling making sexual remarks of what he was going to do to children, little boys and little girls,” Cantrell said. “He was also making sexual noises.”
Lee was arrested Oct. 26. He allegedly made the phone calls from Oct. 21 until the date of his arrest. His bond was set at $25,000.
Despite the nature of the phone calls, Lee was charged with 24 misdemeanors, which frustrates Cantrell.
“I don’t understand why it’s not a felony,” Cantrell said. “It’s terrible.”
The sheriff said that while Lee’s court date is pending, he is confident Lee is responsible for the phone calls.
“There isn’t a doubt in our minds he did it,” Cantrell said.
Lee has been a registered sex offender since his conviction relating to a 2002 incident.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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