Larimer County Man Arrested for Catfishing and Threatening Dating App Users
A 33-year-old man faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly using a dating app to lure victims to remote locations, then trapping and threatening them in his vehicle, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.
Anthony Brown-Wright was arrested August 31 following incidents at Douglas Reservoir in Fort Collins and Simpson Ponds south of Loveland. Deputies believe more victims may exist and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The arrest followed a 911 hangup call from the Douglas Reservoir area on August 31. When deputies arrived, they found Brown-Wright and another adult exiting a white GMC Yukon. The victim had arranged to meet someone through a dating app but discovered Brown-Wright had misrepresented his identity online, a practice commonly known as "catfishing." Brown-Wright prevented the victim from leaving the vehicle and hung up the phone when the victim attempted to call 911.
Deputies connected this incident to a similar case reported earlier in August at Simpson Ponds in unincorporated Larimer County. In that incident, a victim expecting to meet someone matching a completely different description entered Brown-Wright's white GMC Yukon. The suspect became violent and prevented the victim from leaving, but the victim fought back and escaped. Brown-Wright then threatened to press charges against the victim for fighting him and demanded sexual acts in exchange for not calling police.
Brown-Wright faces criminal extortion, a class 4 felony that carries a potential sentence of two to six years imprisonment and fines ranging from $2,000 to $500,000 under Colorado law. Additional charges include third degree assault, obstruction of phone service, first degree trespass with intent to commit a crime, two counts of false imprisonment, and theft under $300.
The Larimer County Court issued Brown-Wright a $25,000 cash/surety bond, meaning he can secure release by posting the full amount in cash or working with a bail bondsman who typically charges 10-15% of the total bond amount as a non-refundable fee.
Both victims in these cases are transgender individuals. Deputies continue investigating whether Brown-Wright intentionally targeted them based on their gender identity. If bias motivation is established, Colorado's hate crime statute could result in enhanced penalties, including potential class 5 felony charges for bias-motivated crimes causing bodily injury.
"Consent is always necessary. That's true whether you're in a committed relationship or a casual meetup," said Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen. "We understand how someone might feel uncomfortable reporting an incident like this, and I really want to thank the two people who came forward. If you've experienced something similar, please let us know. We're not here to judge. We're here to support you and keep our community safe."
The incidents occurred in areas under Larimer County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction. Douglas Reservoir and Simpson Ponds are located in unincorporated areas of Larimer County, outside city limits where the sheriff's office has primary law enforcement authority.
Anyone with information about Brown-Wright or similar incidents should contact Deputy Megan Job at 970-577-2085. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or through their website at www.stopcriminals.org.
Brown-Wright remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The charges represent allegations that must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.