Prank voicemail leads to arrest

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PROSPECT — A message left on a Prospect resident’s voicemail last month sparked an investigation that ended with the arrest of a Rhode Island man.

On May 25, a Prospect resident reported a suspicious message to police. The voicemail was left by a man who said that he had a young boy tied up in his basement for two days and had been sexually assaulting him, according to Connecticut State Police.

Connecticut State Police tracked the phone number to Philip Bertoncini, 61, of 37 Columbia Ave., Pawtucket, R.I. and turned the investigation over to Rhode Island State Police.

Rhode Island State Police arrested Bertoncini at his home at 7 p.m. on May 25 said Laura Meade Kirk, director of public information for the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety.

Bertoncini was alone at the time and there was no evidence of anyone having been held there against their will, Kirk said.

Police determined the voicemail was a crank phone call. Bertoncini was charged with disorderly conduct and placing a crank or obscene phone call. He was released on personal recognizance and will be arraigned in Rhode Island on June 9.