A grown 24-year-old man was caught in Ohio posing as a 16-year-old boy pretending to be a human trafficking victim and going to high school, according to the New York Post. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra actually had a baby with his ex-fiancée in Toledo, just a town over from Perrysburg.
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How A Grown Man Posed As An Ohio High School Student For Over A Year
Police say that Anthony falsely presented himself as an unaccompanied minor in January 2024, enrolled himself at Perrysburg High School, and successfully tricked an Ohio family into taking him in.
Anthony’s strange scheme worked for over a year. That was, until 22-year-old Evelyn Camacho, his ex-fiancée, called the family he was living with.
This all started in November 2023 when he first contacted the school. He claimed he was trafficked to the US from Venezuela, saying he was born on December 2, 2007. This is according to police documents obtained by 13ABC.
He managed to start attending school after showing what looked like a Venezuelan birth certificate. While he was completing the enrollment process, the authorities contacted a local family about housing him. They had adopted children and housed exchange students in the past, so it seemed like a perfect match.
The family agreed and helped get Anthony a social security number and an Ohio driver’s license. It only took two months for the couple in their 60s, Kathy and Brad Mefferd, to get temporary guardianship over him. Then, in November 2024, they got permanent guardianship.
It all seemed to be going smoothly until that phone call from the mother of his child. Evelyn was calling just to find out what was real about her ex-fiancé.
“I was questioning what the truth was,” she said. “Did he lie to me about being an adult? Or did he lie to them about being a child? I didn’t know what was going on. And I care about him. He’s the father of my daughter.”
After that conversation, the Mefferds called the school, which then called the police. It only took one room search to find hidden clues to his true identity. They found a burner cellphone, his fake ID, a semiautomatic pistol, and three loaded 9mm magazines.
Anthony was taken into custody and eventually pleaded guilty to lying on immigration forms and on an application concerning a firearm purchase. ICE now had hold over him, and he could face decades in prison.
Why Did He Do It?
Now, his ex-fiancée is searching for answers she may never find. When asked why he did it, she said: “That’s a great question. Probably only he knows why he did it. And, maybe, not even him, to be honest. Anthony is impulsive.”
This shocking case has certainly shaken the community. While his guardians would likely be the most stunned, anyone who may have known him must be dumbfounded.
“People were shocked for sure,” said one mother whose son attended Anthony’s school and knew of him. “We live in an area that is somewhat conservative. There were some who were, like, ‘Holy moley. How did he get past [school officials]?'”
So far, the authorities have figured out that Anthony has had an expired visa since 2023. This could’ve been a motive for him posing as a high schooler, thinking he had a second chance at life.
“This case involves highly unusual and deceptive circumstances that impacted many local, state and federal agencies,” said Superintendent Tom Hosler.
“The school district has reviewed its actions regarding enrollment and is confident proper legal channels were followed to provide support for an individual presenting themselves as an unaccompanied minor as spelled out in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. We appreciate our close partnership with the Perrysburg Police Division and the swift action taken.”