A woman from the Atlanta area has pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme that targeted victims in Missouri and Kansas through a law enforcement spoofing scam. Ariel Burden, 33, admitted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Burden was part of a group that contacted victims using phone numbers that appeared to be associated with local law enforcement agencies. The callers claimed to be officers or affiliated with law enforcement and told victims they had outstanding warrants for missing court appearances. Victims were then instructed to pay thousands of dollars to a bondswoman—Burden, who used the alias “Jennifer Davis”—to avoid arrest. After collecting payments from the victims, Burden provided receipts containing fake citation numbers and other false information.
In one instance detailed in her plea agreement, a Jefferson County, Missouri resident received a call on February 28, 2024, from someone pretending to represent the Crystal City Police Department. The victim met Burden at Crystal City’s City Hall and paid $12,000 for what was described as “bond.” Burden issued a receipt with the fabricated citation number “ft9 CV 1892 COC CV 1893,” which falsely stated payment had been made to the “Crystal City Court” and was accepted by “Jennifer Davis.”
Burden acknowledged defrauding three victims—two from Kansas and one from Missouri—for a total of $28,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 2026. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Burden will also be required to repay the stolen money.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri and the McPherson Police Department in Kansas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
