A Florida resident is facing serious criminal charges after allegedly deceiving a woman at her workplace and falsely claiming to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official.
Latrance Battle, 52, is accused of staging a brief abduction. On April 10th, she presented herself as an ICE agent while wearing a black shirt bearing the agency’s logo. According to authorities with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, she visited the woman’s employment at a hotel chain.
“She directed the victim to leave her job immediately,” stated the sheriff’s office. “The victim, displaying evident fear, complied and entered Battle’s vehicle.”
Battle was equipped with a portable radio, which she used during the journey to reinforce her fabricated identity. The woman recounted that she genuinely believed she was being escorted by an ICE agent, particularly as Battle repeatedly spoke into the radio. “She was in the process of obtaining legal residency,” authorities noted.
Further escalating the situation, Battle allegedly seized control of the woman’s phone, preventing her from contacting her husband or a legal representative before forcefully taking it from her grasp. The incident intensified when they reached the Bridge Plaza apartment complex, where Battle had indicated the presence of additional ICE personnel.
“The victim’s suspicion grew as Battle stated their destination was the Sheriff’s Office,” reported the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. “Upon entering an apartment building, the victim fled and contacted law enforcement.”
Following her escape, the woman described her ordeal to deputies, revealing that Battle had confiscated her phone, claiming she knew of the woman’s wrongdoing.
The neighbor who sheltered the woman recounted witnessing Battle’s actions. When questioned, Battle explained she took the victim’s phone because “she knows what she did.”
The man provided crucial information, revealing that Battle had previously assaulted his ex-girlfriend two years prior, leading to a restraining order. This connection prompted investigators to link the incident to Battle’s past behavior.
Battle was apprehended on her route to Alabama and is currently facing charges including kidnapping in furtherance of a felony, robbery by snatching, impersonating a law enforcement officer during a felony, and violation of probation.
