BUENA PARK : Warrant Out for Suspect in Series of Obscene Calls

Police have identified a suspect who allegedly made a series of obscene collect phone calls to women, claiming to be a police investigator.

Detectives say John Brett Garrison, 26, made the calls in early February while in custody for another crime at Rikers Island Prison in New York City.

Garrison was released from custody in New York just prior to being identified as the suspect and his current whereabouts are unknown, police said. A warrant has been issued.

The calls began with a woman claiming to be an AT&T; operator who said she had a collect emergency call from the “Orange County Police Department,” a nonexistent agency. The caller then said that officers needed help catching a stalker in the area and told the victims to perform lewd acts, police said. In several incidents, the man repeatedly called the victims back.

Twenty-three misdemeanor counts were filed against Garrison on Wednesday.