ELKINS – A Randolph County man is facing criminal prosecution after allegedly making repeated non-emergency calls to Randolph Count 911, police said.

Ernest Ray West, 69, is charged with one count of false telephone report of emergency, a misdemeanor. West is currently being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $1,500 cash-only bond for this charge.

According to a release put out Monday by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, on April 18, officers responded to reports of repeated non-emergency calls placed to the Randolph Count 911 emergency line. Following an investigation, West was identified as a suspect and was taken into custody “without incident.”

The Sheriff’s Office release alleges that West “knowingly placed calls that did not involve an actual emergency, diverting resources from legitimate incidents and potentially delaying response to those in need.”

The Elkins City Police Department and West Virginia State Police assisted in the investigation.

Additional charges against West “may be forthcoming” as the investigation continues, the release states.

“The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that emergency lines are reserved for urgent situations requiring assistance, and misuse may result in criminal prosecution,” the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office release stated.