The same jury-duty phone scam that targeted Alpine and Highland residents in 2024 has now led to felony charges against a Georgia man who allegedly posed as a Utah County Sheriff's deputy and defrauded an Eagle Mountain woman of $2,000.

Delvin Octavius Hunter, 35, of Decatur, Georgia, was charged with theft by deception, communications fraud, and identity fraud, all third-degree felonies, plus impersonation of an officer, a Class B misdemeanor, according to ABC4.

How the scam worked

The charges stem from Dec. 18, 2025. The victim told the Utah County Sheriff's Office she received a call from someone claiming to be a deputy. The caller said she had missed jury duty, that a warrant had been issued for her arrest, and that there was video proof of her signing paperwork. He demanded $5,000 or threatened criminal charges.

The woman sent $2,000 via Apple Pay before contacting the real sheriff's office.

UCSO investigators traced the phone number tied to the Apple Pay transaction back to Hunter in Georgia. He is not currently in custody. A summons is being issued for him to appear at future court hearings; no specific date has been announced.

Local warnings preceded the charges

The scam mirrors warnings the Lone Peak Police Department issued to Alpine and Highland residents in October 2024. In an urgent alert on its website, the department said residents were receiving calls from spoofed LPPD phone numbers, with callers claiming the recipient had missed jury duty and refusing to let them hang up without paying.

"Law enforcement agencies do not ask for money over the phone. Ever," the Lone Peak Police Department stated in that October 2024 alert.

The Utah County Sheriff's Office posted a similar warning on X on Oct. 14, 2024, noting that scammers were using names of actual UCSO employees and directing victims to meet someone at the sheriff's office to pay bail.

In a separate September 2024 incident, an Alpine resident reported to Lone Peak PD that a caller spoofed the department's number (801-756-9800), gave a badge number, and demanded his Social Security number before transferring the call to a spoofed U.S. Customs and Border Patrol number. The resident refused and reported the call.

How to protect yourself

The Salt Lake City Police Department offered this guidance: never give out personal or financial information to cold callers, be wary of demands for sudden payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, Venmo, or Apple Pay, and avoid posting personal information on social media. Anyone who receives a suspicious call from someone claiming to be law enforcement should hang up, call dispatch, and report the incident.

Residents in Alpine, Highland, Cedar Hills, and Lehi can reach the Lone Peak Police Department's non-emergency line or the Utah County Sheriff's Office dispatch to verify any call claiming to come from law enforcement.

All charges are allegations. Hunter is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.