Bounty Hunter Incident Investigated as Hoax
A distressing incident involving a woman identified as Juliana Peraes Calderon, who claimed to have been kidnapped for deportation, has taken a surprising turn. Authorities found her at a shopping center in Bakersfield after her family reported that she was taken by a masked man.
Initially, left-leaning activists rallied around Calderon, viewing her situation as a clear example of mistreatment of undocumented immigrants. Their advocacy, however, soon backfired when further investigations revealed inconsistencies in her story.
Calderon’s family reported that, on June 25, she was lured from Los Angeles by an armed individual. They received a call from her stating she was held in a facility where she was coerced into signing a document renouncing her claims. They suspected that the individual was a bounty hunter.
In response to her plight, activists staged a press conference on June 30, demanding to know her whereabouts and criticizing the Trump administration’s tactics.
A lawyer affiliated with the Immigration Defender Law Center claimed that Calderon was held in appalling conditions, stating, “She was taken to a warehouse where she didn’t get any food, only water.” However, this portrayal was soon contradicted.
On July 1, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a statement debunking Calderon’s claims, calling the scenario a “hoax.” According to their investigation, she was never detained and was, in fact, not apprehended by ICE at all. They pointed out that the elaborate story of kidnapping was likely fabricated for financial gain.
Despite this, Calderon’s legal representation expressed continued uncertainty about her current status. “We’re still unsure if she’s in ICE custody or something more nefarious,” the attorney said, reflecting the ongoing confusion surrounding the case.
Two weeks later, federal officials confirmed that Calderon had indeed been arrested, marking a significant shift in the narrative. It was revealed that she is a 41-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico, and authorities found her just two days after starting their inquiries.
Surveillance footage indicated that her account of being kidnapped and subsequently rescued was, in fact, a fabrication designed to elicit sympathy and funds through a GoFundMe campaign set up by her daughter.
If convicted, Calderon faces serious charges, potentially leading to several years in federal prison for conspiracy and making false statements to authorities. She has reportedly lived in California for over two decades and is associated with the Californian Alliance for Community Empowerment Activist Groups.
