Church worker pretended to be ICE agent to extort $500 from massage therapist, police say
The safety director at Gateway Community Church of Webster, Texas, is looking for a new job after his arrest for allegedly pretending to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
Donald Doolittle, 58, pulled out an ICE identification card after getting into an argument over payment with a Houston massage therapist and threatened to have her taken away, according to an affidavit.
Mayans paid him the money, and he allegedly sent her a text saying that she would not hear from ICE agents.
The masseuse, identified as Rita Dumont Mayans, said she showed him a temporary visa.
“He demanded she Zelle him $500, or he would take her away and she would never see her family or children again,” a magistrate said at his court hearing.
Mayans paid him the money, and he allegedly sent her a text saying that she would not hear from ICE agents. He also allegedly told her to delete the texts.
Police were notified about the incident the next day when Mayans spoke to officers at a luncheon.
When he was interviewed by police, he denied being at the business or getting a massage, but security video contradicted his statements.
Doolittle was charged with impersonating a public servant.
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The church said Doolittle was fired from his position. The affidavit said that he had worked there for 10 years.
“Upon learning of these allegations on Saturday night, we took immediate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our congregation and community,” reads a statement from the church.
Bond was set for Doolittle at $10,000.
Critics of ICE agents wearing masks have warned that others could impersonate them in order to harm innocents. The Trump administration has argued the coverings are necessary to protect agents from threats, especially from the far left.
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