Parker County sheriff’s investigators have made several arrests in a months-long probe into a scam ring accused of stealing more than $1.2 million from residents through fake warrant and jury-duty calls, authorities said Tuesday.
The investigation began in April after victims reported callers impersonating sheriff’s deputies and demanding payments to clear supposed arrest warrants. While most targets refused to pay, those who did were instructed to purchase bitcoin at local cryptocurrency kiosks and send the funds via QR code to wallets controlled by the suspects, the Sheriff’s Office said. One suspect told investigators the group collected more than $75,000 in less than 40 days.
Detectives traced emails, phone numbers, financial accounts and digital transactions to several individuals and discovered that two suspects were operating the scheme from inside a Georgia prison, with accomplices on the outside funneling scam proceeds into inmate accounts.
Arrest warrants were issued for four suspects tied to the operation. Sheriff Russ Authier said five local cases were cleared with help from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Additional suspects identified in the scam organization have been identified as:
Romelia Barrientos Garcia, 46, of Dallas County, was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Barrientos Garcia was arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety on Parker County warrants.
Christian de la Pena, 24, of Bexar County, was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, and was arrested by TxDPS in Bexar Co on Parker County warrants.
Towkir Islam, 25, of Atlanta, who is believed to be in Georgia at large, is wanted on Parker County warrants for engaging in organized criminal activity.
Samantha Ann Flores, 38; of Atlanta, who was taken into custody in Georgia on Parker County warrants and waived extradition, was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and transported to the Parker County jail.
Sheriff Authier said the Sheriff’s Office will never contact the public asking for money to clear a warrant. He encourages people who receive calls from any person, business or agency asking for money, to hang up and contact the agency or business to verify their claims.
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