(CNN) An Ohio teen has been arrested in connection with a series of prank calls to police in upstate New York and across the country, authorities said.

The 17-year-old, who is accused of making "swatting" calls, was charged with 40 felony and 33 misdemeanor delinquency charges in Mahoning County, Ohio.

Swatting is the act of making a false police report -- usually of an urgent or violent crime -- to lure law enforcement or SWAT teams to a location.

The boy is accused of calling police on August 11 and saying he had shot his wife, had an AR-15 rifle and was holding his son hostage at a home in Kent, New York, the Putnam County Sheriff's office said.

When law enforcement arrived, they found the home was empty and confirmed there was not an emergency. The homeowner and his family had been out of state, the sheriff's office said.

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