Missouri woman pleads guilty to assaulting federal agent with her car

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A southwestern Missouri woman pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to assaulting a federal law enforcement agent with her car while he was attempting to arrest her boyfriend.

This guilty plea resulted from an investigation U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and the Greene County (Mo.) Sheriff’s Department.

Alisha Johnson, 32, of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty to the charge contained in a Dec. 17, 2013 federal indictment. She remains in federal custody.

On July 25, 2013, ICE ERO agents were attempting to apprehend Francisco Sosa-Lopez for immigration violations. When Sosa-Lopez saw the approaching agents, he fled the area on foot. While the agents were pursuing Sosa-Lopez, Alisha Johnson arrived in her vehicle and attempted to pick up Sosa-Lopez.

As Sosa-Lopez attempted to get in the vehicle, Johnson shouted derogatory comments at the pursuing agents, indicating that she was aware of the agents’ intent to apprehend Sosa-Lopez. Agents continued the pursuit and ordered Sosa-Lopez to not enter the vehicle. Sosa-Lopez ignored the agents’ directives and continued to try to enter the rolling vehicle. As one of the agents approached Sosa-Lopez, Johnson drove her vehicle over the curb and into the agent, striking the agent on the left leg. Sosa-Lopez entered the vehicle and fled from the scene; he remains a fugitive from justice. Johnson voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement shortly after the incident.

As a result of being struck by the vehicle, the federal agent suffered significant damage to his knee which required two subsequent surgeries.

Under federal statutes, Johnson is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigation.