A McMurray woman will spend the next five years on probation for her attempt to malign her ex-husband and the Washington County Children and Youth Services caseworker and foster parent assigned to her two children.
Karen Long, 48, of 103 Clearview Drive, pleaded guilty Thursday before Washington County Judge Janet Moschetta Bell to false reports, retaliation against a witness, unlawful access of stored communications and two counts of harassment.
Long was charged Oct. 24, 2006, by Peters Township police.
According to police, Long's criminal activities were far- reaching.
First, Long used Spoofcard, a commercially available service that is accessible over the Internet, to report that she was receiving threatening phone calls from her children and their caseworker.
The service allows the user to mask their true identity by allowing them to use a substitute number for Caller ID. It also enables the user to mask his or her voice and substitute it with another of any gender and accent.
Police proved Long's reports false when they learned the caseworker was in the hospital having a baby. Instead, Long was making the phone calls to herself.
Long also used the device to make calls to child protective services and say she was a foster child who was being abused by their foster parents. She also called state and Donegal Township police saying she was a child considering suicide because a woman was committing sex acts and abuse against her.
Meanwhile, police said Long placed ads on the Internet advertising her ex-husband as being available for sex. In addition to her ex-husband, the ad referred to his two children who were "open minded" about sex.
Long also made numerous harassing phone calls to the caseworker and foster parents over a period of time.
When police conducted a search of Long's home, they confiscated her computer and found the program on it. They also discovered tht Long had taped meetings and conversations that she did not have permission to record.