Man Charged with Making Annoying Phone Calls in Lincoln

LINCOLN – Bryon Hefner, 31 was arraigned today in Concord District Court on four counts of making annoying phone calls and two counts of criminal harassment in connection with hundreds of phone calls made from December 20, 2017 through January 8, 2018 to three phone numbers assigned to a McLean Hospital facility in Lincoln while he was a patient at the facility.

On December 25, 2017 a staff member reported to Lincoln Police that the facility had been receiving apparent prank phone calls. The victim reported that on this day the facility had received approximately 50 phone calls between their landline and two cell phones. Police subsequently learned that multiple staff members had been receiving similar phone calls from an automated caller from different phone numbers beginning December 20. Over the course of the investigation the victims expressed concern over the volume and content of the calls. The subsequent investigation revealed that the defendant was using internet-based websites including, www.prankowl.com, www.prankdial.com and www.myphonerobot.com to make the calls. 

Hefner entered a plea of guilty on the four counts of making annoying phone calls and agreed to sufficient facts on the two counts of criminal harassment. Judge Elizabeth Cremins sentenced the defendant to one year probation with conditions including to stay away from and have no contact with the victims in this case, to stay away from the McLean Hospital facility in Lincoln, to complete 50 hours of community service, not to utilize any prank call services and to comply with mental health treatment.

The assistant district attorney assigned to this case is Laura Miller.