Federal authorities reported on Monday that Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderón, a 43-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico residing in South Los Angeles, admitted to orchestrating a false kidnapping scenario in 2025. She falsely alleged abduction by federal agents or individuals impersonating them. This act aimed to incite media outrage and support a potential lawsuit against Border Patrol, said the Office of First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California.
According to officials, Calderón fabricated evidence of her arrest by federal agents in June and July of 2025. She contacted several individuals anonymously to establish a fraudulent storyline.
“In June and July of 2025, Calderón faked her apprehension by federal agents or surrogates acting on behalf of federal agents,” stated officials.
Photos were allegedly staged to depict Calderón’s detention and mistreatment while in custody. She falsely accused federal agents of abducting and detaining her at multiple locations, altering her appearance to simulate mistreatment.
Court files reveal that on June 25, 2025, Calderón falsely informed someone of her alleged custody by immigration officials near a fast-food restaurant, claiming agents threatened her. Two days later, she reportedly blocked caller ID and contacted a tenants’ rights advocate, falsely asserting she was taken to San Ysidro and forced to sign deportation papers.
On the same day, she claimed relocation to a mysterious warehouse detained with others. These fabrications led to media and law enforcement reports about her ‘kidnapping’ by men posing as federal agents, spurring community organizers to call for her release. Meanwhile, she stayed hidden in Bakersfield.
On July 3, Calderón again manipulated caller ID to make false release claims due to media coverage. Traveling from Bakersfield to Tulare County, she staged a release event and solicited a witness for her legal case.
In one staged setup, a co-conspirator photographed her altered look to mimic harm received in custody. Calderón actively evaded law enforcement by turning off her phones for two days.
Pleading guilty to conspiracy charges aimed at hindering Homeland Security Investigations, her sentencing is set for February 8, 2027. She potentially faces a federal prison term of up to five years.