Louisiana Victims Targeted in Frightening Bond Scam

(KPEL News) - Two people accused in a phone scam targeting people claiming their loved ones were in jail and needed to give them bond money have been arrested.

One arrest of a Georgia resident occurred in April, but on Wednesday, the St. Mary Sheriff's Office arrested a second person they say is associated with the scam.

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Sheriff Gary Driskill's Office reports that they arrested 24-year-old Dechariah Keiasha Charmea Johnson of Woodbury, Georgia.

According to authorities, she was arrested for bank fraud and attempted theft.

Imagine you answer the phone one day, and the person on the other end of the line tells you they work for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office. The person claims to be Sergeant Michael Thomas, and he knows personal details about you and your family.

Scammers Allegedly Lied to Get Money in a "Bond" Scheme

They tell you that your loved one is in jail, and that you have to give them money to get them out. This person playing the role of Sergeant Thomas would then claim you needed to turn over $7,000 in order to get your relative out of jail.

READ MORE: LOUISIANA FAMILIES WARNED ABOUT CRUEL NEW JAIL SCAM

This person knows about your family; they have names, addresses, and birthdays, so what you are being told sounds very convincing, and unfortunately, several people were victims of the two scammers from Georgia, according to the St. Marty Parish Sheriff's Office.

Victims Were Asked to Send Money Digitally

Once they got you believing your loved one was in jail, they wanted you to give them a 10% down payment on the bond, which would be $700. They wanted you to send the money digitally to one of the following platforms:

• CashApp
• PayPal
• Apple Pay

Sheriff Driskill says,

Scammers are ever busy, trying to trick our citizens out of their hard-earned money. Legitimate law enforcement and judicial agencies will never call to solicit bond payments over the phone via CashApp, PayPal, or gift cards.

So one person claimed to be Sergeant Thomas, and the other, to whom you would have to transfer the money, was the "bail bondsman".

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office says it has been investigating since receiving the first complaint about this situation. Their investigation led them to Georgia.

The first person to get nabbed in connection with this scam was 22-year-old Donovan Kobie Baptiste of Valdosta, Georgia, on April 29. He was arrested on the following charges:

• Bank Fraud
• Fraudulent Portrayal of Law Enforcement
• Fraud-Access Device
• Theft

He previously bonded out, and her bond is currently set at $300,000.