Distraught family claimed beloved grandma had been kidnapped by ICE...but now the sinister truth has emerged
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, was charged on Thursday with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers.
The charges came after family of Calderon – an illegal immigrant from Mexico living in Los Angeles – claimed she was ambushed by armed men in two unmarked trucks at a Jack in the Box parking lot in the downtown LA area.
Family members and attorneys held a press conference on June 30, where they said Calderon was brought to San Ysidro, a district of San Diego close to the Mexican border.
Her family alleged that she was then, 'presented to [a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement] staffer' and, 'presented with voluntary self–deportation paperwork,' according to officials.
The family's attorney said Calderon refused to sign the paperwork, and was then 'punished' by being held in a warehouse, a report from the US Attorney's Office, Central District of California detailed.
Videos of the press conference show supporters of Calderon holding signs saying, 'our mom is missing,' 'stop the abduction,' and 'where is Yuli?'
Following attention from the media, the family then created a GoFundMe page – which has since been deleted – where they asked for $4,500.
Now, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stepped in to vehemently deny claims that the immigrant mother was abducted.
The DHS launched an investigation into the 'kidnapping,' during which they spent days looking for Calderon and even had ICE agents searching 'detention cell to detention cell,' officials said.
Ultimately, agents said they found Calderon in a shopping plaza parking lot in Bakersfield on July 5. She allegedly continued to insist that she had been kidnapped and held 'with others'.
Video footage of the Jack in the Box parking lot Calderon claimed to be taken from showed her leaving the lot and getting into a sedan, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Phone records also show the abduction to be a hoax, according to officials.
Calderon's family has tried to keep up the ruse even after she was discovered. They allegedly fabricated pictures of her 'rescue' to make it seem as though ICE agents abused her, according to officials.
On July 6, the family planned to host another press conference and increase the donation request, but then their plan was foiled by the DHS.
'Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon was never arrested or kidnapped by ICE or bounty hunters — this criminal illegal alien scammed innocent Americans for money and diverted limited DHS resources from removing the worst of the worst from Los Angeles communities,' the DHS said.
'Calderon will now face justice and the media and politicians who swallowed and pushed this garbage should be embarrassed,' the agency added.
US Attorney Bill Essayli also released a statement on the matter, saying: '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.'
Calderon now faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if convicted for each charge.
The DOJ indicated that additional individuals involved could also face charges.
According to a statement provided by GoFundMe to KTLA, the organizers of the campaign will not have access to the $80 their page raised in donations.
'GoFundMe has zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform, or any attempt to exploit the generosity of others, and cooperates with law enforcement investigations of those accused of wrongdoing,' the statement read.
'This fundraiser was removed from the platform and the $80 raised was refunded; at no point did the organizer have access to any of the funds.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to DHS and ICE, as well as Calderon's family and attorney for comment.
Calderon's kidnapping claims come at a contentious time for migrants in the US, as President Donald Trump continues to ramp up his tough-on-immigration policies.
Recent ICE raids have seen mass deportations, and the White House claims that Trump has deported more than 100,000 illegal migrants since returning to office in January 2025.
Last Thursday, a raid of a cannabis farm in Camarillo - a city in Southern California - saw 200 migrant workers being detained.
Chaos ensued at the raid, with protestors violently clashing with ice agents. Trump directed federal law enforcement officials to use 'whatever means necessary' to arrest anyone who throws rocks or other projectiles at ICE agents during immigration raids.
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