Undocumented LA Woman's Kidnapping Saga Was A Lie, Federal Officials Claim

LOS ANGELES, CA — An undocumented migrant who lives in South Los Angeles is facing federal charges for allegedly inventing a story in which she said she was abducted by possible masked immigration agents, taken to the U.S. border at San Ysidro and hidden in a warehouse where she was abused — a tale she is suspected of telling in order to generate public sympathy and solicit thousands of dollars in GoFundMe donations, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced Thursday.

Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, who is currently in U.S. immigration custody, is charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Court papers say that an attorney representing Calderon's family held a press conference on June 30 to announce the woman had been kidnapped five days earlier at a Jack in the Box restaurant parking lot in downtown Los Angeles and brought to San Ysidro, where she was presented to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement staffer and handed voluntary self- deportation paperwork.

The family's attorney then reportedly said Calderon had refused to sign the paperwork and demanded to speak to a judge and a lawyer. In response, the lawyer said, "she was punished" by federal agents and sent to a warehouse in an undisclosed location.

Prosecutors said the press conference garnered media attention and stoked fear in the community. Meanwhile, Calderon's daughter set up a GoFundMe page, requesting $4,500 and stating that Calderon "was taken by masked men in an unmarked vehicle ... when she was on her way to work."

According to Essayli, the entire story was fabricated.

Attorneys for Calderon's family who discussed the case at last month's press conference did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

On July 3, when Calderon was still purportedly missing, federal agents "grew concerned" after confirming that Calderon was not in immigration custody, federal prosecutors said, and Homeland Security Investigations personnel began searching for Calderon over the July 4 holiday weekend.

On July 5, agents tracked Calderon down in a shopping plaza parking lot in Bakersfield. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Mexican national and self-described activist continued to falsely claim she was taken by masked men and held in custody with others.

Prosecutors say video surveillance — including images of Calderon leaving the Jack in the Box parking lot and getting into a nearby sedan — as well as telephone records, bolster suspicions that Calderon fabricated the entire story.

"Calderon and her family knew that law enforcement was searching for her and feared for her safety, but Calderon and her family did not come forward," according to a press release from Essayli's office.

Instead, Calderon created what law enforcement alleges was fabricated photos of her "rescue," made to look as if she was abused while in federal immigration custody and planned to hold a press conference on July 6 to increase donations to the GoFundMe page and to obtain other benefits, prosecutors said.

"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," Essayli said in a statement.

"The conduct alleged in today's complaint shows this hoax `kidnapping' was a well-orchestrated conspiracy," he continued. "The defendant and all those involved will face the full consequences of their conduct under federal law. I thank our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and all federal agents facing unprecedented levels of assaults for once again providing cool heads and professionalism during these difficult times."

If convicted of all charges, Calderon would face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to five years on the false statements charge, prosecutors noted.

City News Service