AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File
In this July 8, 2019, file photo, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer looks on during an operation in Escondido, Calif.
A League City man is facing a felony charge after he allegedly pretended to be a federal immigration agent and coerced a masseuse to pay him hundreds of dollars, according to authorities.
Donald Doolittle, 58, is charged with impersonating a public servant, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
A financial report filed in court indicates Doolittle is a part-time safety director at Gateway Community Church in Webster, a role he’s held for 10 years, according to the report.
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Gateway, a Methodist church, said in a Monday evening statement the incident was a “complete surprise” and announced Doolittle had resigned from his position.
“We want to make it unequivocally clear that the actions Mr. Doolittle are accused of do not reflect the values of Gateway Community Church,” the statement reads. “As a faith community, we stand firmly against any form of dishonesty, manipulation, intimidation, extortion, or the exploitation of any individuals. Such behavior is completely contrary to who we are and what we believe.”
Doolittle allegedly went to a business for a massage on Thursday and attempted to pay for it with a credit card, according to a spokesperson for the Houston Police Department. When the victim, named in court records as Rita Dumont Mayans, informed him he could not pay with a credit card, Doolittle allegedly pulled out a badge that said “ICE” on it. ICE is an acronym for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency dedicated to immigration law enforcement.
According to ABC 13, during a court hearing on Saturday, a magistrate judge alleged Doolittle “demanded she Zelle him $500 or he would take her away and she would never see her family or children again.”
Representatives for ICE did not immediately return a request for comment.
When Doolittle allegedly pulled out his fraudulent ICE badge, police said he allegedly asked Mayans for $500, which she paid. Soon after, she reported the incident to the police department, and Doolittle was arrested on Friday.
Representatives for Doolittle’s attorneys declined to comment, saying they do not comment on criminal cases for their clients.
Doolittle was released from jail Sunday on a $10,000 bond, court records show.
Editor’s note: This story was updated Nov. 25, 2025, to include a statement from Gateway Community Church.