Man Faked Breast Cancer to Skip Probation Meeting, Police Say

AUSTIN, Texas – Police in Austin say a man faked having terminal breast cancer so he could avoid meeting with his probation officer.

The Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday that an arrest affidavit said 32-year-old Brian Jeffrey Bonniwell gave his probation officer a letter that appeared to be from a cancer treatment center in Austin.

The affidavit says Bonniwell presented the letter July 20 and used it to get out of future meetings. The letter said he had been diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma and was undergoing treatment.

The treatment center told the court it had no record of Bonniwell.

The affidavit says Bonniwell is facing a felony charge of fabricating physical evidence. He is in the Travis County jail on several felony charges. Online jail records don't show an attorney for him.