Authorities in North Carolina say a gardener took advantage of his client’s absence to throw a large, unauthorized house party, resulting in multiple criminal charges.
According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, 37-year-old Michael Brown admitted to deputies that he was the “lawn guy” for the property. Over the weekend, deputies responded to the home after receiving numerous noise complaints and reports of traffic hazards in the area.
When questioned, Brown initially claimed to be the homeowner. After deputies expressed skepticism, he changed his story several times, eventually admitting that the real homeowners were away on vacation.
Authorities say Brown invited several hundred people to the home and charged a cover fee for entry. Due to the size of the crowd, multiple law enforcement agencies were called in to help manage the situation. Deputies also reported that as attendees left the party, many drove away recklessly, prompting numerous traffic stops.
Brown now faces several charges, including breaking and entering, second-degree trespassing, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, injury to real property, and obtaining property by false pretenses.
“Brown was specifically told he was a guest at our Detention Center, not a resident, and ordered not to throw any parties in our phone cell while trying to secure a bonding company,” the sheriff’s office joked in a Facebook post.
Brown was booked into the Union County Detention Center with a secured bond of $10,000. He has since been released from custody.
