An Athens woman who posed as pregnant teenagers to torment couples desperate to adopt has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, closing the book on a scam that prosecutors say weaponized social media and basic human hope. Gabryele "Gabby" Watson, 30, was ordered to serve 20 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. According to prosecutors, she used stolen social-media posts and text-spoofing tools to convince would-be parents that she was placing a baby for adoption, then repeatedly threatened to abort or injure the unborn child or kill the prospective parents.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Watson stole the identity of a pregnant teenager and strung along couples hoping to adopt, behavior Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva described as cruel when announcing the sentence on May 15, 2026. The case was prosecuted by the Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and officials said the scheme caused emotional devastation for the families involved.
How Investigators Say She Pulled It Off
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee detailed how Watson copied fresh posts from a real pregnant minor, including sonogram images and "baby bump" photos, then layered on spoofed text messages, fake voice calls, and fraudulent online accounts to hide who she really was. Investigators say she started by reaching out to adoptive couples through social-media adoption groups, slowly built trust, then demanded that they stay constantly available and buy maternity clothing and baby gear before escalating to intimidation and threats.
Targets and Tactics
One couple caught in the scheme had already spent eight years trying to adopt. Another was led to believe Watson was carrying high-risk twins and even put their young sons on speakerphone so they could get excited about welcoming the babies, according to CBS News Atlanta. Prosecutors say Watson pressured families into buying clothes and supplies, then threatened to call off the adoption, harm or abort the child, and, in some of the most chilling messages, to kill the parents and their children.
Charges and Sentence
Watson pleaded guilty on July 25, 2025, to four counts of cyberstalking, two counts of interstate transmission of threats to kidnap or injure, and two counts of unlawful use of a means of identification, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A judge imposed a 20-month prison sentence and three years of supervised release. Prosecutors from the Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison handled the case, and reported the guilty plea last July.
Why It Matters
The case highlights how caller ID spoofing and fake-text tools can turbocharge emotionally devastating scams. Phishing and spoofing remain among the top complaint categories to federal authorities, with more than $16 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone, according to the FBI. The FBI’s Nashville Field Office led the investigation into Watson, and the bureau has posted a victim and witness questionnaire for anyone who believes they may have been contacted by her, per the FBI. Officials say digital identity theft and spoofing remain enforcement priorities as scammers look for new ways to exploit social platforms.
For the families who were targeted, prosecutors say the prison term delivers some accountability, although it cannot undo months of fear, grief, and manipulation. Law enforcement officials say they plan to keep chasing those who twist social media and spoofing tools into weapons against people simply trying to build a family.
