JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WIVB) — An alligator in Jamestown? Not quite, but police say someone there tried fooling them into believing that.

Early Monday morning, around 3 a.m., Jamestown officers say they were patrolling at Panzarella Park on the riverwalk when they found a woman “who pointed and alerted to an alleged alligator in the river.”

Officers, who continued walking, happened to find a man who they said was violating an order of protection to stay away from someone. He was identified by police as 44-year-old Jamestown resident Jason Goodwin.

“A subsequent investigation determined that the alleged alligator sighting was a ruse to keep officers from going in the direction of Goodwin,” police said.

Goodwin, who was previously convicted of second-degree criminal contempt, was charged with first-degree criminal contempt and aggravated family offense. Following his arrest, Goodwin was taken to the Jamestown city jail to await arraignment.