Teen arrested for falsely reporting gunman, cops say

NCPD says he told cops a man with rifle was walking in Massapequa park

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A 17-year-old man from East Meadow was arrested after police say he falsely reported to them that there was a man with a rifle walking along the trails of Brady Park in Massapequa.

Andrew Denton had made the claim on April 6 at 7:41 p.m., police say, and seventh precinct units, along with the bureau of special operations and air bureau, responded to search the area.

After a 45 minute search turned up nothing, police say they identified Denton and arrested him in his home the following evening.

Police say Denton was in possession of a gravity knife at the time of his arrest, which, according to New York Penal Code, is a knife that "has a blade which is released from the handle ... by the force of gravity or the application of centrifugal force," as opposed to a blade opened by applying pressure on a button.

Denton is charged with third-degree falsely reporting an incident, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

His April 8 arraignment was adjourned to April 15, said a spokesman in the Nassau County district attorney's office, who added that Denton's case has been referred to the county's adolescent diversion program, which is reserved for charged offenders aged 16 and 17 of nonviolent crimes.

Denton was represented by Legal Aid Society at his arraignment, which does not comment on cases.