Crime & Safety

Baytown Woman Frames Boyfriend With Bogus Social Media Accounts

Lisa Maria Garcia used fake Instagram account posing as her boyfriend, to send threats to herself and another woman

BAYTOWN, TX — A 22-year old Baytown was arrested after she allegedly created several fake online accounts to frame her boyfriend on bogus domestic violence charges.

Lisa Marie Garcia, 22, was arrested Thursday and charged with retaliation and three counts of online harassment.

Investigators said that Garcia set up several phony social media accounts in her boyfriends name, and used those accounts to send threats to herself and another woman.

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Brandon Berrott, 23, who has children with Garcia and the other woman who received the threats, was the name Garcia used to set up the accounts.

Officials said that Berrott was initially arrested in September after he threatened Garcia.

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When he was released from jail, officials said Garcia set up the fake Instagram accounts.

Investigators said that each time Berrott was released from jail, Garcia would send out the bogus threats to herself and the other woman, leading police to turnaround and arrest Berrott again.

The bogus online threats from those online accounts resulted in numerous arrests and thousands of dollars in fees for Berrott, the Houston Chronicle reported.

From Oct. 21-31, Berrott was arrested seven times because of those threats Garcia sent from the phony Instagram accounts, which ultimately cost Berrott his job at Goose Creek ISD, KTRK reported.

Investigators said they began to suspect Garcia when she called Baytown Mayor Stephen DonCarlos and demanded an investigation into District Judge Brad Hart, who presided over Berrott’s cases, and alleged Berrott’s mother had bribed Hart, the Chronicle reported.

The charges against Berrott have been dismissed, and Garcia is in the Harris County Jail with her bond set at $10,000.

Garcia faces a 10-year prison sentence if she is convicted.

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