Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn is urging county residents to be cautious following a report of a sexual assault last week in north Big Horn County. However, some misinformation has been spreading, and Blackburn also urges residents to make sure the information they receive is from a reliable source before panicking.

Deputies received a report that a vacuum salesman stopped at a home in north Big Horn County and sexually assaulted a subject at the home on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The case is currently under investigation and there are several other factors that could mitigate the severity of the case, according to Blackburn. The name of the reporting party was not released per Wyoming State Statute.

The suspect was reportedly driving a red van and traveling door-to-door selling vacuums. The Sheriff’s Office is looking for any information about the case or suspicious activities involving door-to-door salesmen. They are working to contact and interview area door-to-door salesmen and any other witnesses.

The Sheriff’s Office sent out a reverse-911 call Monday in north Big Horn County to alert residents of the possible danger. Blackburn said the message was sent to urge caution, not to cause panic.

Several text messages have been circulating about the incident. Some text messages contain authentic information and some don’t, Blackburn said.

The Sheriff’s Office was overwhelmed with calls about the incident Monday, Blackburn said. He issued a second reverse-911 Monday at 4 p.m. to let citizens of the north end of the county know that not everything contained in the circulating text messages is true. The R-911 was sent to residents of southern Big Horn County Tuesday morning.

“Citizens should be cautious and be very careful to verify everything they hear,” Blackburn said.

A text message stating that an officer was chasing the subject and the subject was carrying knives is untrue, Blackburn said. He reminds citizens that the crime was reported on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and the suspect is believed to have since left the area.

The case is being actively investigated and Blackburn asks any door-to-door salesmen to contact the Sheriff’s Office to notify them of their presence in the area.