A woman and her mother were arrested after allegedly orchestrating a fake kidnapping to deceive the public. The incident reportedly involved a bounty hunter who attempted to use this ploy to generate sympathy for their story at a fast food restaurant.
Yuriana Julia “Juli” Pelaez Calderon, 41, was charged with conspiracy and providing false information about the scheme on Thursday, as stated by the Department of Justice.
In a statement, Bill Essay claimed, “The reckless rhetoric surrounding ICE agents is being manipulated by illegal immigrants for political gain, which, unfortunately, fuels public distrust of dedicated federal agents.”
The DOJ announced that Calderon is accused of manipulating narratives to gain sympathy and solicit donations from the public.
The situation escalated when Calderon’s family and their legal team held a press conference on June 30th, alleging that a man had transported her to San Isidro. Officials reportedly indicated that documents had been presented for her voluntary self-reporting.
Calderon’s family argued that she refused to sign the documents and wanted to consult with her attorney and a judge but was purportedly detained as a consequence.
As the media picked up the story, Calderon’s daughter created a GoFundMe campaign, seeking $4,500, stating, “My name is Angeline Gonzalez, and my mother was taken by a masked man on June 25th in an unmarked vehicle.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) firmly denied the claims regarding Calderon’s supposed abduction.
DHS began investigating and took several days searching for Calderon. At one point, agents were said to be looking for her from one detention site to another. Authorities eventually located her on July 5th in a shopping plaza’s parking lot in Bakersfield, where she continued to maintain that she was lured and held against her will.
However, surveillance footage captured her leaving that location and getting into a vehicle, suggesting the story was fabricated. Moreover, phone records corroborated the idea that the narrative was false.
Before the hoax unravelled, Calderon’s family was set to hold another press conference on July 6th to bolster their fundraising efforts on GoFundMe. They allegedly even staged a photo to depict her rescue, portraying her as a victim of mistreatment by ICE agents.
The DHS stated that “Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon was never arrested or kidnapped by ICE or bounty hunters. This foreign individual has taken advantage of innocent Americans and squandered limited resources aimed at deporting serious offenders from the Los Angeles area.”
They also criticized “politicians and partisan media” for perpetuating narratives aimed at discrediting law enforcement and evading accountability.
“Calderon now faces justice, and it’s embarrassing for those in the media and politics who fell for and spread this misinformation,” added the DHS.
A spokesperson from GoFundMe indicated that the campaign was an unethical attempt to exploit compassion, leading to its removal and a full refund of donations made, totaling $80. They noted, “We never accessed any funds related to this organizer.”
If convicted, Calderon faces a potential sentence of five years in federal prison for each charge. The DOJ also mentioned that more individuals involved in this case might face prosecution.
