Federal officials on Monday announced that an illegal alien from Mexico pleaded guilty to staging a fake kidnapping in 2025, falsely claiming she had been abducted by federal agents or people acting on their behalf.Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderón, 43, of South Los Angeles, fabricated her disappearance to stir media outrage and build a case for a lawsuit against Border Patrol before going into hiding, according to the Office of First Assistant U.S.Attorney Bilal A.
Essayli for the Central District of California."In June and July of 2025, Calderón faked her apprehension by federal agents or surrogates acting on behalf of federal agents," officials said.According to the attorney’s office, Calderón repeatedly contacted individuals using anonymous and blocked phone calls to build a fraudulent narrative.MEXICAN WOMAN IN US ILLEGALLY CHARGED WITH FAKING HER OWN ICE ‘KIDNAPPING’Photos allegedly staged to make Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon appear to have been detained and mistreated in custody, according to an affidavit.(US Department of Justice)She falsely claimed federal agents had abducted and detained her at multiple locations, officials said.
As she staged her release, she also altered her appearance to make it appear as though she had been mistreated in custody.Court documents show that on June 25, 2025, Calderón falsely told an individual that immigration officials were taking her into custody near a fast-food restaurant and claimed agents had threatened to break her window.Two days later, Calderón reportedly used caller ID blocking to contact a tenants' rights advocate with another false claim.She allegedly lied that authorities had taken her to San Ysidro and forced her to sign deportation papers.AI VOICE SCAM TRAPS MOM IN 5-HOUR KIDNAPPING NIGHTMAREYuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon is seen in surveillance video at a parking lot.
(Justice Department)That same day, she reportedly told another individual that she had been moved to an unknown warehouse, where s...