Butler County Sheriff warns of scam calls asking for money in exchange for release of loved ones in jail

Jones said one person traveled to the jail expecting their loved one to be released after paying the scam caller.

Bonds for inmates are not set by the jail or by the sheriff’s office, Jones pointed out. Instead, they’re set by the court system, which does not make calls like that.

“I call these criminals the ‘scum of the earth’ — preying on innocent people during vulnerable times,” Jones wrote on social media.

He advised anyone who receives a call demanding money for the release of a loved one from jail to simply hang up immediately.

“We urge everyone, especially our elderly family, friends and neighbors to be on alert,” wrote Jones.