False Statement

A federal jury ruled yesterday that "The Amazing Randi," a magician, defamed a Finksburg scientist by calling him a child molester but the panel did not award any monetary damages.The jury in U.S. District Court in Baltimore found that Eldon Byrd, 53, the scientist, suffered humiliation, mental anguish, suffering and damage to his reputation because of the false statements. But the panel found that he was not entitled to any monetary damages after hearing testimony that he had sexually molested -- and later married -- his sister-in-law.

A Westminster man accused of stealing three all-terrain vehicles and a motorcycle was held yesterday at the county jail in lieu of bails totaling $100,000, court records showed.Jeffrey Scott Bartholomey, 36, of the 600 block of Gist Road was arrested early Tuesday in Westminster, but state police were unable to identify him until his fingerprints were submitted to the FBI for verification, according to charging documents.Bartholomey was charged on counts of burglary, theft over $300, obstruction of justice and giving a false statement to police.

A woman wearing only high heels and a bikini bathing suit was arrested Wednesday morning after she tried to flag down cars at the corner of 14th Street and Ritchie Highway, county police said.Officer Samuel Sweet reported that he told the woman, who was waving at men about 9:45 a.m., to stop.Officer Sweet left the area, then returned and saw the woman still was flagging down cars, police said. He arrested the woman, who said her name was Kacy Hamlin, according to police.Police said they later learned her name was Ednamae Anne Patterson.

Howard County police charged a Columbia man yesterday with making a false bomb threat last week that targeted the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.Police said a man called them at 9: 45 a.m. Feb. 1, saying there were "several bombs" under the county government building. Officials traced the call to a home on Jason Lane in Wilde Lake. When police arrived, a man there said he had more bombs, prompting a three-hour blockade, police said.The man eventually surrendered peacefully, and he was taken to a mental health facility.

A New Windsor man was charged with theft over $3,000 and making a false statement after he reported he was robbed at the Ridgeville Gas and Go in Mount Airy on Nov. 21, state police said.Tfc. Ron Cullison of the Westminster barracks said his investigation revealed an employee of the gas station stole more than $3,000 and buried the money on a vacant lot near his New Windsor home.Michael Allen Combs, 25, was released after being served with a summons to appear for a trial Jan. 9, police said.

A Dorchester County sewer plant operator has been fined $5,000 and lost his license to operate a treatment plant for failing to perform required wastewater tests and falsifying state environmental records from the plant.Thomas W. Trego of Secretary pleaded guilty in Dorchester County District Court on Monday to filing a false statement about tests performed at the Twin Cities Wastewater Treatment plant in Secretary in June 1998. Judge John C. Coolahan suspended $4,000 of the fine, made the remainder payable to the Maryland Clean Water Fund and ordered Trego to perform 40 hours of community service.

A 36-year-old former Carroll County woman was sentenced yesterday to four months in prison for having her teen-age daughter falsely claim that she had been sexually touched by a distant relative who is a Baltimore police sergeant. Toni Biggs, now living in Delaware, had her daughter, then 15 years old, practice the lie every night before they told it to police in July 1999, according to the agreed-upon statement of facts in the case. The sergeant described heatedly before sentencing how his family and career were jeopardized by the woman's act, he said.

County police arrested a homeless man on a burglary charge Friday as he fled from a house in the first block of Ferndale Road, authorities said yesterday.The man apparently slipped through an unlocked door shortly after 12 a.m. and was discovered by Barbara J. Wheeler, who lives in the house. The man fled when she began screaming, police said.Police tracked the man with a K-9 dog and found him a few blocks away, "sweaty from running," police said.Officers said he gave a false name when they asked him to identify himself.

Aberdeen A possible break-in was reported Saturday in the 400 block of West Bel Air Avenue. A truck was stolen Friday in the 1500 block of Perryman Road. Tavon Harvey, 18, of the first block of East Bel Air Avenue, was charged Monday with violating probation in a case in which he was charged with second-degree assault. An armed subject was reported Sunday at Mayberry and Perrywood drives. Aberdeen police report: A tire was cut last Thursday in the 400 block of Elissa Court.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said a 13-year-old female has been charged with making a false bomb threat in an incident that cleared West Middle School on Tuesday. Just before 11 a.m. school officials contacted the sheriff's office after a student recovered a note that included a threat to "bomb" the Westminster school. The middle school was evacuated while officers from law enforcement agencies inspected the building with explosive detection canine teams. The threat was found to be a hoax, and students were returned to class by noon.