The Parker County Sheriff’s Office has announced charges against five individuals accused of orchestrating an elaborate scam that defrauded local residents of $1.2 million. The investigation began in April after multiple victims reported being contacted by callers impersonating sheriff’s office employees.
According to investigators, the scammers told victims they needed to pay fines for outstanding warrants or missed jury duty. They then instructed victims to purchase cryptocurrency at bitcoin ATMs and transfer the funds to digital wallets controlled by the suspects.
Detectives secured search warrants for bank accounts, phones and online activity, ultimately identifying five suspects—two based in Texas and three in Georgia.
Authorities said the alleged mastermind, 25-year-old Jose Joaquin Gaona, is currently serving a 71-year prison sentence in Georgia for violent felonies. From inside prison, Gaona is accused of using a contraband cellphone to coordinate the scheme and even personally call victims. Some of the fraudulently obtained money was reportedly deposited into a prison account.
Three suspects have been arrested:
Romelia Barrientos Garcia, 46, of Dallas County
Christian de la Pena, 24, of Bexar County
Samantha Ann Flores, 38, of Atlanta
All are charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. A fifth suspect, 25-year-old Towkir Islam, remains at large in Georgia and faces the same charge.
Sheriff Russ Authier praised investigators and cooperating agencies, noting that the true number of prevented fraud cases may never be fully known. He also reminded the public that the sheriff’s office will never call residents to demand payments for warrants, urging people to verify anyone requesting money.
