By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
A prostitute trying to escape arrest ran her car into a Houston FBI agent, striking the agent in the left thigh, causing bruises and back pain, according to an FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court this week.
The incident took place on Nov. 7 in southwest Houston. The agent was part of the Houston Innocence Lost Task Force that was participating in a nationwide crackdown on pimps and teen prostitutes, according to an affidavit by FBI agent Sherri Rice.
At about 1:10 a.m., task force officer David Nieto met up with a prostitute Shaquita M. Taylor-Felder and followed her to the Budget Garden Suites. After a “prostitution case” was made in the parking lot, the officer signaled FBI agents to move in for the arrest, the affidavit said.
One agent, Patrick Fransen parked his car behind the prostitute’s car, the affidavit said. Then agent Chad Nunez and officer Nieto approached the car on foot. Agent Sherri Rice approached the area but stayed in the car.
Agent Fransen, who was wearing a jacket with the words “Police” on the front walked up to the driver’s side of the prostitute’s car and knocked on the window. The prostitute rolled the window down about three inches and Fransen identified himself and said she was under arrest, the affidavit said.
The woman then rolled up the window, put her car in reverse and rammed into Fransen’s car. She then went forward and backward, and repeatedly rammed the car, the affidavit said.
Fansen and officer Nieto tried unsuccessfully to break the window on the driver’s side. At some point, the prostitute’s car struck Fransen in the left thigh, causing injuries.
The prostitute, Taylor-Felder was eventually able to drive off at a high rate of speed. Agent Rice followed her. The prostitute was able to lose the agent.
About 4 hours later, the Taylor-Felder’s car was located and towed.
The following day, task force members went to the place Taylor-Felder bought the car. She happened to be on the phone with the salesman. She told the salesman that she parked the car at her house and it was now missing, the affidavit said. She said she had filled out a police report.
Authorities then gathered enough info to get an arrest warrant on charges of assaulting and resisting a law enforcement agent. Court records show no court date has been set.
While the title afforded the task force sounds laudatory, I question wether or not an arrest by an FBI agent for the local crime of prostitution is appropriate. I also believe it is inappropriate for an FBI agent to wear apparel bearing the title, “Police”. The FBI is not and never has been a charted national police agency.
Given the tremendous burdens placed upon the FBI with terrorism and rampant major white collar crime, the FBI’s participation in the task force should be one of support for local and state agencies by facilitating investigation that crosses jurisdictions or providing sophisticated support functions not available to local authorities. I read the affidavit and that agent was doing someone else’s job.