Burning down the house… didn’t work, you’re busted.

Linn resigns as party chairman
Dems’ leader charged with false informing

County Democratic Party Chairman Kem Linn resigned amid a police investigation after officers say he made several false emergency calls.

Party Secretary Ann Willey said she received his letter of resignation March 20, one week after the last time police say Linn made a call.

Linn was arrested Friday afternoon after he turned himself in at the Grant County Jail. According to court documents, Linn is being charged with nine counts of false informing, a Class A misdemeanor, and two counts of possession of a destructive device, a Class C felony. He was released on $15,000 bond.

According to the documents, between Jan. 14 and Feb. 21, Linn reported nine incidents to the Gas City Police Department or the Marion Police Department. The incidents included criminal mischief, residential entry, attempted arson and burglary/theft. Police records say officers from both departments and the Marion Fire Department responded to all nine calls.

Feb. 21, officers went to Linn’s home, 100 Walnut Drive, on a call for attempted arson/criminal mischief. Police reports said officers found a vodka bottle containing gasoline and a lit paper towel wick. The device had been thrown through the rear window of Linn’s Cadillac Escalade, according to court documents.

It was around that time, Gas City Police Chief Kirk McCollum said, that police began to suspect Linn was behind the incidents.

“During the course of this investigation, all three departments had received information that was determined to be false,” McCollum said.

March 13, officers received another call to Linn’s house — a report of a possible fire. Police records said officers found two bottles of gasoline and paper wicks, which had been thrown at the outer corner of Linn’s house. One of the bottles had been broken, and the other was still intact and burning.

Investigators at the scene reported that it looked as if the device had been thrown at close range from inside Linn’s garage toward his house.

On-scene investigators — including Kem Linn’s brother, David Linn, who is Gas City’s fire chief — confronted Linn with the evidence, and he agreed to go to the Gas City Police Department to be interviewed, according to court records. He then admitted he was responsible for constructing, possessing and throwing the explosive devices that night, March 13, and also Feb. 21, court records said. He also said he was responsible for all of the reported “criminal acts” and told investigators he knew at the time he was giving false information to law enforcement agencies, the records said.

McCollum said he wouldn’t speculate as to what Linn’s motive may have been. He said the three agencies submitted paperwork to the Grant County prosecutor’s office after the confession, after what had been about a two-month investigation.

AWB

Hat tip: Lucy

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