ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 11, 1996 TAG: 9605130050
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITER
The Roanoke man accused of threatening a girl by phone walked away from his misdemeanor arrest this week after posting $5,000 bond. But his freedom ended Friday.
Michael Andrew Obremski, 42, was sent to jail after his arraignment hearing in Roanoke County Juvenile Court. Judge Philip Trompeter ordered him held without bond after a prosecutor emphasized Obremski's potential danger to the community.
Roanoke County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Marian Kelley said she argued that bail should be denied because of the seriousness of the case, the pending investigation and the strength of the evidence against Obremski.
Police electronically monitored Obremski making an April 17 telephone call to a 14-year-old girl, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in Roanoke Circuit Court. Police say he was using a pay phone around the corner from his motel room in Northwest Roanoke.
His arrest Wednesday night capped a 2 1/2-year investigation into threatening and obscene telephone calls made to scores of girls in Roanoke, Roanoke County and Botetourt County.
Roanoke police added to the Roanoke County misdemeanor charge Friday and served Obremski with two felony warrants while he was in jail. He is accused of asking an underage girl to have sex with him and attempting to ask an underage girl to have sex with him.
The incidents occurred over the telephone this spring, according to Roanoke Lt. William Beason. Each charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $2,500 fine.
According to Roanoke County Detective Jeff Herrick, who has worked on the case since 1993, Obremski was picking names from listings in the Neighbors section of The Roanoke Times. During a search of his motel room Wednesday, police seized numerous copies of the newspaper along with a purple pair of girls' panties and several videotapes.
As a result of that search, Roanoke police also charged Obremski with possession of marijuana.
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