Police have arrested 52-year-old woman Lafrance Battle for allegedly posing as an immigration officer to kidnap her former boyfriend’s wife at work about a week ago.
On Monday, authorities revealed she wore a shirt with the words “ICE” across it and carried a handheld radio as part of the ruse.
Battle was arrested on April 11, a day after she was accused of impersonating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and convincing the victim she had to come with her, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said.
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When the 52-year-old reached the hotel where the man’s wife worked, the unhinged ex-girlfriend told the woman she was there to “pick her up,” unzipping her jacket to show the words “ICE” on the black shirt she had on, as per an arrest affidavit obtained by local outlets.
Also, the ex-girlfriend who posed as an immigration officer allegedly flashed a sheriff’s office business card and handheld radio, hoping to appear more official.
According to an affidavit reported on by the Miami Herald, the victim, who is “in the process of becoming a legal United States resident,” went with Battle willingly because “she was scared and did not want to get in more trouble.”
As they rode in Battle’s car, the woman tried to call her lawyer and husband, yet Battle grabbed the phone from her, claiming she had a call from the sheriff’s office.
Eventually, the ploy began to fall into pieces when Battle allegedly drove past the sheriff’s office and told the victim she “now has to suffer the consequences of her husband’s actions,” the affidavit states.
Authorities revealed that once they reached an apartment complex, Battle went into one unit and was “making a lot of noise,” and that paved the way for the kidnapped woman to escape.
The victim asked a neighbor if she could use his phone and then hid behind his car as Battle began searching for her.
She managed to reach her husband and described the fake immigration officer to him, and he then revealed she sounded like his ex-girlfriend.
The affidavit states that the spouse was previously forced to take out a restraining order against Battle.
Body cam footage released by the sheriff’s office shows a deputy approach Battle’s car and repeatedly call on her to open the door.
Eventually, the deputy opened the driver’s seat door and Battle exited the car and was arrested without incident.
Police revealed she was fleeing to Alabama at the time of the traffic stop.
The unhinged woman who posed as an immigration officer is now facing charges of kidnapping in the commission of a felony, robbery by sudden snatching, impersonating a law enforcement officer in commission of a felony and felony violation of probation, the Bay sheriff’s office said.
