A Rose by any other name was bittersweet for a California man who drove to Louisiana to meet and marry a woman he met online.
According to authorities, "Rose Williams" was actually a man and James William Eaton, 48, of Calhoun, is accused of "catfishing" the prospective suitor from California, the Monroe News Star reported.
Catfishing is an internet ploy used to fabricate online identities and social circles to trick people into romantic relationships.
Eaton was booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center on charges of monetary instrument abuse and theft, the News Star reported. He remains in jail in lieu of a $2,500 bond, according to the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office.
According to an arrest report, the victim drove to Louisiana and discovered the person he had been communicating with was Eaton. The victim sent $1,000 to "Rose Williams" through online payment platforms and through the mail, the News Star reported. He also sent care packages to Louisiana because Williams' mother was allegedly ill, according to the arrest report.
Eaton denied knowing the victim, but investigators said they learned from the homeowner who rented a room to him that a package addressed to Rose Williams, in care of James William, had arrived, the newspaper reported.
Eaton told investigators the box contained cellphones, but food from the victim was found in the package, the News Star reported.
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