A woman from North Carolina says she unknowingly starred in a video taking responsibility for a series of Saskatoon crimes.
Samantha Field told CTV News on Tuesday she created a video in March for a customer on Fiverr, a website for freelancers to sell different creative services, like video production.
Field said a user named “alexemme” requested she read an excerpt from her new book. The script sent for her to read detailed how a woman — played by Field in the video — and an accomplice allegedly orchestrated the deliveries of suspicious packages in Saskatoon.
“We made those packages together, with the cookies and rockets and tissue paper,” Field claims in the video. "She said, ‘People will think the baking soda is anthrax.'"
The excerpt video would be displayed at alexemme’s book launch, the Fiverr user told Field, according to screenshots of the pair’s conversation.
But there was no book launch where the video played. Instead, the video was sent to media on April 9, accompanied by a handful of emails claiming the innocence of Alexa Emerson, the woman charged in the suspicious package deliveries.
“Honestly, the first thing that went through my head is, ‘This isn’t true,’” Field told CTV of making the video.
Field said she charged $35 for the clip.
The video she sent to the Fiverr user included a pitch, encouraging people to buy a copy of the supposed book. The pitch wasn’t included in the version of the video sent to media.
Field said she reached out to Saskatoon police a few days ago to help with the investigation, but has yet to receive a response.
Crime Stoppers told CTV News Tuesday the lead investigator in the case is on vacation until August, and a police spokesperson said officers are working to reach out to Field.
“We’re aware that a young woman has contacted us regarding this, and we are attempting to follow up with her. Apart from that, we do not have any further update to the investigation,” spokesperson Kelsie Fraser said.
Emerson, who is also known as Amanda Totchek, is facing 83 charges connected with five suspicious package deliveries in late November, several deliveries in March and April, and more than half a dozen bomb threats over the last few months. She’s also charged with criminal harassment, public mischief and providing false information related to an incident in October in which she’s accused of sending videos depicting herself being bound, assaulted and threatened in order to mislead a police officer, according to court documents.
The 32-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and none of the allegations against her have been proven in court.
--- Watch the full story tonight on CTV News Saskatoon.
