Missouri woman sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison for assaulting ICE agent with her car

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield woman was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison Tuesday for assaulting a federal agent with her car while he was attempting to apprehend her boyfriend during a foot chase.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Greene County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department.

Alisha Johnson, 33, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison without parole for her actions during the incident. The court also ordered her to pay $9,926 in restitution to the agent who was injured and $14,886 in restitution to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs.

On July 25, 2013, ICE agents were attempting to apprehend Francisco Sosa-Lopez at a construction site for immigration violations. When Sosa-Lopez saw the approaching agents, he fled on foot.  While the agents were pursuing Sosa-Lopez, 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 result of being struck by the vehicle, the federal agent suffered significant damage to his knee. Two surgeries were later performed on his knee.