A Georgia woman has been arrested after authorities said she was involved in a scam in which a couple in the Florida Keys was tricked into paying $6,500 to people posing as law enforcement officials.
Johnay Monique Barnett, 37, of Roswell, Georgia, was charged with grand theft and booked into the Monroe County jail on Tuesday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began in December 2025, when a couple in Key Haven, near Key West, reported receiving calls from people claiming to work for the Seminole County jail. Seminole County is located in the Orlando area.
According to authorities, the callers told the couple that their son had been arrested and that they needed to pay $6,500 for an ankle monitor he would be required to wear upon his release.
Believing the claims, the couple transferred the money through Zelle, an online payment platform, deputies said.
The scammers later contacted the couple again, demanding an additional $9,000. This time, the couple refused to pay, cut off communication and reported the incident to the sheriff’s office.
Investigation leads Florida authorities to Georgia
Investigators worked with several Georgia law enforcement agencies, including the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Atlanta Police Department and Alpharetta Police Department, to identify a suspect.
Authorities also obtained assistance from multiple banks and reviewed security camera footage, financial records and body camera footage from previous investigations involving similar scams.
The evidence ultimately led investigators to obtain an arrest warrant for Barnett.
She was arrested and transferred to Monroe County, where she was booked into jail on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office did not specify whether any of the stolen money had been recovered or whether additional suspects were being sought.