Houston, Texas. A church safety director has been arrested after police say he impersonated a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and extorted money from a woman during a massage appointment. Donald Doolittle, 58, an employee at Gateway Community Church in Webster, is charged with impersonating a public servant following the incident in northwest Houston.
According to investigators, Doolittle booked a massage and attempted to pay with a credit card, but the woman providing the service told him she accepted only cash or Zelle payments. Police say Doolittle then presented an ID card labeled “ICE,” claimed to be a federal immigration officer, and demanded to see her identification. The woman showed him her temporary visa, at which point he allegedly threatened to detain her unless she transferred $500.
A magistrate later said Doolittle told the victim she would “never see her family or children again” if she refused. She complied, sending the payment through Zelle. Police say Doolittle later told her he had “marked her case for non-prosecution” and asked her to delete their messages.
The scheme was uncovered the next day when the woman encountered police officers and reported what happened. Investigators say Doolittle initially denied being at her business, but surveillance footage contradicted his statements.
Federal officials have recently warned of growing scams involving individuals pretending to be ICE agents, including extortion schemes targeting immigrants.
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