ATHENS, GA - A 25-year-old man allegedly involved in a catfishing scheme was arrested in Georgia this past summer after the purported romantic ruse crossed legal lines, with the suspect reportedly posing as a female sheriff’s deputy, according to authorities.
Earlier in September, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) released details of an arrest that occurred on July 20 regarding a purported catfishing scheme in which the alleged perpetrator was posing as a Florida sheriff’s deputy to the male victim.
Authorities identified the suspect as 25-year-old Caleb Mills from South Carolina, who was reportedly posing as a female named “Hailey Morello” in a scheme that led to the victim declaring the suspect his wife-to-be. The unnamed victim reportedly resided in Athens, Georgia, and his family started to become suspicious of his fiancée, whom he’d apparently met online but had never formally met in person.
According to authorities, Mills was believed to have been using a voice changer when conversing with the victim on the phone and had lifted pictures from the personal social media page of a real sheriff’s deputy in Florida to carry on the alleged charade. The victim reportedly had dismissed his family’s concerns about a potential catfishing situation, having reportedly given money and even lent his personal vehicle to the individual whom he’d never personally met before.
Despite the victim reportedly dismissing his family’s concerns, they conducted their own investigation into “Hailey” and settled on Mills as being the likely person behind the hoax, sharing the revelation with their family member. Apparently, the victim did not take the information well, leading to a family dispute to which police responded at the victim’s home on July 11. While police were at the victim’s residence, the supposed fiancée was on speakerphone and identified themselves as a law enforcement officer.
Authorities conceded the individual on speakerphone during the July 11 incident sounded like a woman, but investigators believed a voice changer was being used to accomplish the feat.
On July 12, an individual claiming to be the man engaged to “Hailey,” the victim in the alleged catfishing scheme, called the ACCPD with a complaint regarding harassment from his family and also filed a complaint over how his fiancée on the phone during the July 11 incident was treated by responding officers. Investigators at the time were immediately suspicious of the call as it originated from a South Carolina area code, and the phone number was not on file with authorities regarding the July 11 incident.
On July 16, the same South Carolina phone number contacted police again asking for an update on the complaint filed days earlier. Police officials say these two calls were crucial evidence in the case that led to Mills’ arrest days later.
After the victim’s mother contacted police regarding all the information the family had on who they believed “Hailey” really was, investigators began comparing the bodycam footage from the July 11 response to the victim’s residence with the statements made during the phone calls by the individual claiming to be the same victim. Authorities eventually determined the content and context of the phone calls made to police were seemingly consistent with what the victim’s fiancée sounded like while on speakerphone during the July 11 incident.
On July 20, police were conducting a follow-up at the victim’s residence when they noticed his vehicle pulling up and parking in the apartment complex. Officers observed the driver remain seated in the vehicle briefly before pulling out and driving further into the apartment complex parking lot.
When officers saw the driver exit the vehicle, they reportedly recognized him as Mills, despite the suspect claiming his name was “Alex Moreno” and that he was the brother of Mills. Upon further questioning at the scene, Mills claimed the victim was dating a friend of his.
Mills was initially detained on suspicion of providing a false name to authorities. Police then called the victim to ask who had his personal vehicle at the time, and he reportedly stated he had lent it to his fiancée. When the officer asked the victim to call his fiancée, authorities say Mills’ phone began ringing, with a contact ID reading “hubbs” appearing on his phone alongside a picture of the victim.
Thereafter, authorities called the phone number linked to the July 12 complaint in which the caller identified himself as the victim, with Mills’ phone allegedly ringing again when the call was placed. The victim was informed of Mills’ arrest and alleged ruse by police, with authorities saying the victim was “in shock” when confronted with the news. Police also suspect Mills was staying inside the victim’s apartment while he was out working.
Upon further interrogation, authorities say Mills made “minor admissions” regarding the alleged scheme but failed to provide meaningful details sought by investigators. Mills was booked on charges of identity fraud involving fictitious identifying information, impersonating a public officer, giving a false name to law enforcement and two counts of making false statements in a government matter.
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