BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — The Bay County Sheriff’s Workplace has introduced the arrest of a girl accused of impersonating a federal immigration officer and kidnapping an area resident.
The incident happened on April 10, 2025, when BCSO deputies responded to a name relating to a suspicious incident on the Bridge Plaza Flats. Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a sufferer who reported that she had been kidnapped earlier that day.
Investigators realized that the suspect, recognized as Latrance Battle, had approached the sufferer at her place of employment posing as an agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Battle wore a black shirt marked with “ICE,” displayed what seemed to be a Sheriff’s Workplace enterprise card, and carried a handheld radio to assist her impersonation.
In line with the BCSO, Battle instructed the sufferer to depart along with her. The sufferer, who’s within the technique of changing into a authorized U.S. resident, stated she genuinely believed Battle was an ICE agent and complied out of concern.
Whereas within the automobile, because the sufferer tried to contact her lawyer and husband, Battle allegedly snatched the telephone from her. The sufferer turned suspicious after they arrived on the Bridge Plaza Flats as an alternative of a legislation enforcement facility, as Battle had claimed. When Battle went contained in the condominium alone, the sufferer took the chance to flee and instantly contacted legislation enforcement.
Latrance Battle was later situated in Fountain, Florida, whereas reportedly en path to Alabama. She was taken into custody and is now dealing with a number of felony expenses, together with Kidnapping within the Fee of a Felony, Theft by Sudden Snatching, Impersonating a Regulation Enforcement Officer within the Fee of a Felony, and Felony Violation of Probation.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Workplace praised the sufferer for her braveness and fast motion and reminded the general public that each one reputable legislation enforcement officers will current correct credentials and observe established procedures.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
