The Brief
An undocumented woman from South Los Angeles pleaded not guilty to federal charges for allegedly faking her own kidnapping.
Prosecutors claim the woman fabricated the story to gain sympathy and collect donations on a GoFundMe page.
The woman faces charges of conspiracy and making false statements, and her trial is set for October 21.
LOS ANGELES – An undocumented immigrant living in South Los Angeles has pleaded not guilty to federal charges for allegedly fabricating a story about being kidnapped by masked immigration officers
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, is charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers.
What we know:
The charges against Calderon stem from a story an attorney for her family presented at a press conference on June 30.
The attorney claimed Calderon had been kidnapped on June 25 from a Jack in the Box parking lot in downtown Los Angeles.
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She was then purportedly taken to San Ysidro and presented with voluntary self-deportation paperwork by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staffer.
When she refused to sign, the attorney alleged she was “punished” by federal agents and abused in a warehouse.
Prosecutors claim this story was completely false and designed to generate sympathy and donations.
A GoFundMe page was set up by Calderon’s daughter, requesting $4,500 and claiming her mother was taken “by masked men in an unmarked vehicle.”
On July 3, federal agents grew concerned after confirming Calderon was not in immigration custody and began a search for her.
On July 5, agents found her in a shopping plaza parking lot in Bakersfield.
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According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Calderon continued to falsely claim she was taken by masked men.
Prosecutors say surveillance video and telephone records contradict Calderon’s claims, showing her leaving the Jack in the Box parking lot and getting into a nearby sedan.
It is also alleged that Calderon created fabricated photos of her “rescue” and planned another press conference to increase donations.
What they’re saying:
The Department of Homeland Security released a statement in July, saying the story was created to “malign the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.”
“Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon was never arrested or kidnapped by ICE or bounty hunters—this criminal illegal alien scammed innocent Americans for money and diverted limited DHS resources from removing the worst of the worst from Los Angeles communities,” DHS said. “Politicians and activist media peddled these smears that were designed to demonize law enforcement and evade accountability. Calderon will now face justice and the media and politicians who swallowed and pushed this garbage should be embarrassed.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California also released a statement.
“Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public and discredit our courageous federal agents,” he said. “The conduct alleged in (the) complaint shows this hoax ‘kidnapping’ was a well-orchestrated conspiracy.”
What’s next:
A trial date for Calderon has been set for October 21.
If convicted of both charges, she could face up to 10 years in federal prison.
Attorneys for Calderon’s family who spoke at the press conference did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Source: :he information in this report is based on statements and documents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, and Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. It also includes details from a press conference held by an attorney for the defendant’s family, as well as information from a GoFundMe page and surveillance records referenced by prosecutors.