North Dakota sheriff's sting nets scofflaw Ozzy fans

By Karyn Chenoweth Nov 5, 2007, 2:16 GMT

10/19/2007 - Ozzy Osbourne - © Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

A whole bunch of outlaws are on the "Crazy Train" to jail, due to a sting by Fargo police that used the lure of Ozzy Osbourne for their intended prey.

Now the British rocker is barking mad over the ingenious tactics used by the officers for staging a sting operation in the rocker's name without his permission.

Osbourne claims his reputation was tarnished when Sheriff Paul Laney invited 500 people with outstanding warrants to a phony party at a Fargo nightclub before the rocker's concert with Rob Zombie at a nearby arena.

More than 30 showed up and were arrested.

Unsuspecting fans with warrants hoping to see Osbourne and Rob Zombie perform on Oct. 29 at the Fargodome were invited to a bogus pre-party at a neighborhood bar.

Not realizing they were on the guest list of the phony Ozzy VIP event because of their criminal charges, the Ozzy fans were arrested by Sheriff Paul Laney and his officers.

“This sheriff should be ashamed of himself for using my celebrity to arrest these criminals,” Osbourne said in a statement yesterday. “Surely with some good police work and a little bit of time he could have accomplished this without bringing my name into it. It’s insulting to me and to my audience and it shows how lazy this particular sheriff is when it comes to doing his job.”

Osbourne did go out of his way to say he doesn’t blame the city of Fargo and hopes to return soon, but, he added, “If Sheriff Laney uses my name again I’ll bite his (expletive) head off.”