Grants Pass man arrested for alleged 'catfishing' proposition, threats
Oct. 20—A man faces felony charges accusing him of offering money online to a woman for sex acts in Grants Pass, then when the woman refused, posing as a member of a drug cartel and making death threats.
Boris Alexander Deleon, 35, faces attempted prostitution and attempted coercion charges accusing him of online messages earlier this month that allegedly began with Deleon posing as someone else and allegedly offering a 21-year-old woman "a substantial amount of money" for unspecified sexual contact, according to a news release issued by Grants Pass police.
When the victim refused to participate, Deleon allegedly made death threats to the victim and claimed to be part of the Sinaloa cartel, the press release states.
The woman contacted police about the death threats Monday, according to police. Within a day, Grants Pass police detectives allegedly linked the online messages to Deleon, and arrested him at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday.
In custody, Deleon allegedly admitted to "catfishing" — posing as another person when communicating online — thousands of times online, according to the release.
Grants Pass police arrested Deleon on felony charges of compelling prostitution, coercion and first-degree intimidation. On Wednesday morning he was being held in the Josephine County Jail on $250,000 bail.
Earlier court records listed a Grants Pass address for Deleon, but currently list his address in College Park, Maryland.
Jackson County Circuit Court records show that Deleon has a separate pending felony robbery case accusing him of threatening staff last year at Baffled Escape Room at the Rogue Valley Mall.
On July 28, 2020, Deleon allegedly made death threats to staff at the puzzle amusement in the mall over a denied refund, according to an affidavit filed by Medford police.
The staff told police they were threatened "multiple times," the police affidavit states, until they opened up their register and gave Deleon $40 "in fear of being assaulted or killed due to Deleon's behavior."
Once Deleon got his $40, the victims told police that he continued to threaten them by stating, "you better hope I don't see you outside, I will kill you bitch."
A grand jury charged Deleon last November with two counts of third-degree robbery and a misdemeanor charge of third-degree theft, according to an indictment filed by the Jackson County District Attorney's Office. Deleon is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment Nov. 3.
Reach web editor Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or nmorgan@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MTwebeditor.
