TOLEDO, Ohio – A Wood County man is facing serious legal repercussions after allegedly creating a fake Facebook profile to impersonate Jean Keating, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Lucas County Pit Crew. The man, identified as David Dubois, an employee at Lucas County Canine Care and Control, is facing both an identity theft charge and a civil lawsuit following the alleged online impersonation.
The lawsuit, filed in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, accuses Dubois of creating and managing a Facebook account that falsely represented Keating. The profile, according to the suit, spread misleading and harmful posts about Keating and her nonprofit organization. The lawsuit also names two other individuals associated with a Facebook group called “Lucas County Pit Crew Dogs Deserve Better,” though they have yet to be identified.
Keating, who has been a prominent figure in local animal welfare efforts, expressed shock and distress upon discovering the fake account. “I jumped on Facebook and then I see a replica of myself, my name, my dog — the one everybody knows me by,” Keating said in an interview. “Every single day, can you imagine waking up and wondering: did the fake me do something last night on Facebook?”
Keating first learned of the imposter account in late August, just days after Lucas County Canine Care and Control had come under public scrutiny for a staff member’s alleged mistreatment of dogs, which had been caught on security footage. Keating’s nonprofit, the Lucas County Pit Crew, is dedicated to rescuing and advocating for animals in the community, making the false representation particularly damaging to her and her organization.
Adding further complexity to the situation, a GoFundMe campaign appeared to have been set up to raise money for Dubois’ legal defense. The page, which states that the funds are for Dubois’ “legal fees,” claims that the employee has been unfairly targeted by Keating and her nonprofit in a public dispute. The fundraiser, which has raised $2,000, also notes Dubois’ disagreement with the claims in the lawsuit, which he intends to address in court.
“I don’t think you understand how difficult this is when you steal someone’s identity like that, and this needs to stop,” Keating stated. “I have no other way of getting assurance that that profile is gone.”
The Sylvania Police Department conducted an investigation into the fake profile and concluded that it was likely created by Dubois. He is set to appear in Sylvania Municipal Court next month.
As the legal proceedings move forward, the case highlights the growing concerns over online impersonation and the serious consequences it can have on individuals and organizations alike.