Maryland, My Maryland

 Fox 5, Montgomery County woman charged with faking home invasion using AI photo

The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has arrested 27-year-old Moesha Gardener of North Bethesda for falsely reporting a home invasion using an AI-generated image, which prompted a large police response. Gardener admitted the incident was a prank and now faces charges for making false statements to authorities.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at approximately 10:24 a.m., 2nd District officers responded to a reported burglary in the 5000 block of McGrath Boulevard in North Bethesda.

The investigation determined that Gardener informed her husband via text messages that an unknown man had forced his way into their home after she answered the door. Her husband called 9-1-1 to report the alleged break-in. While officers were on their way to the home, Gardener sent her husband a photo appearing to show a man lying on their couch, covered by a blanket. He relayed this information to the emergency call taker.

In response, approximately eight marked police cruisers, with emergency lights and sirens activated, responded during daytime traffic at high speed to the address. Upon arrival, officers and Gardener’s husband found Gardener alone, sitting on the couch. A cell phone mounted on a tripod was aimed at the front door. Gardener then admitted to sending the messages and photo as part of a prank. She stated she had used artificial intelligence to generate the image of the made-up intruder.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant against Gardener, charging her with making a false statement concerning an emergency/crime and providing a false statement to a state official. On Friday, October 10, Gardener was arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. She was later released on a $10,000 unsecured personal bond.

Calling 9-1-1 to report a false crime is illegal. So-called ‘swatting’ calls, false reports made to trigger a large police response, waste valuable emergency resources and can put lives at risk. These actions carry serious legal consequences.

I wouldn't consider this a SWATting. She didn't call the cops, her husband did. She was probably very disappointed when the cops showed up to save her. You have to give her bonus points for novel use to AI technology.