A Georgia inmate already serving time is now accused of moonlighting as a fake Flagler County deputy, allegedly scamming a Palm Coast resident out of $1,000. The suspect, 32-year-old Abraham Rivas, is locked up in Georgia and now faces a fresh arrest warrant tied to the alleged scheme.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Obtains Warrant
On Monday the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said it obtained an arrest warrant for Rivas and charged him with an organized scheme to defraud and grand theft, according to a news release by Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. The release states that Rivas is housed at Dooly State Prison in Georgia and was already serving a four-year sentence for aggravated assault, robbery and theft. Detectives say he was on track to be released in 2027 before the new warrant was issued.
How Detectives Traced the Money
Investigators say the case started on March 12, when a Palm Coast resident reported sending two $500 payments to someone claiming to be “Officer Christopher Osorio” who demanded money for bond and an ankle monitor, as reported by Tampa Free Press. Detectives followed the trail from the transfers to a bank account and then to an inmate commissary account, which pointed them straight to the Georgia prison. A Flagler detective then traveled to the facility to interview Rivas, and authorities say he admitted setting up the operation and walked investigators through how the fraud allegedly worked from inside his cell.
Allegations of Contraband and Staff Awareness
According to the sheriff’s office release, Rivas told investigators that other inmates were running similar scams and claimed that some correctional staff were aware of illicit activity. He also reportedly said he used the proceeds to buy marijuana inside the prison. “This suspect used deception and impersonated FCSO to exploit our victim and they did this from a Georgia prison,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in the release. After the interview, detectives secured the arrest warrant that charges Rivas with an organized scheme to defraud and grand theft.
Why This Matters Locally
Scams that impersonate law enforcement keep surfacing in Flagler County and elsewhere. Local authorities arrested two men last year in a separate phone-scam operation that used the name of a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office sergeant, the Palm Coast Observer reported. The pattern is familiar nationwide, the FTC warns: callers claim to be officers, create panic with threats of arrest and then demand payment through apps or gift cards. Those rapid-pay methods make it easy for scammers to move money quickly and for inmates to tap commissary accounts or contraband through go-betweens. A basic rule of thumb applies here: if someone claiming to be law enforcement is demanding money over the phone, hang up and call the agency directly.
The sheriff’s office is urging anyone who believes they were targeted by this scam to report it to their local law enforcement agency. If you think you are a victim, call the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 386-313-4911, or dial 9-1-1 if you are in immediate danger.
