News

Police said man claimed to be officer to coerce woman into sex

TACOMA, Wash. — A man accused of impersonating a police officer and kidnapping a prostitute in Tacoma may have impersonated an officer before, police said.

Tacoma police said when Sylvester Haliburton tried to convince a prostitute he was an undercover police officer, she didn't believe him, and when she tried to get out of his car, Haliburton wouldn't let her.

The soldier and married father of three was arrested Monday after the woman reported the incident to police.

According to police, the woman said Haliburton tried to coerce her into having sex with him, saying he was an officer, and it was then that she tried to leave.

“She started to exit the car and he took hold of her by the arm and prevented her from leaving at that point,” said Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum.

Investigators said the woman was able to convince Haliburton to drop her off near 72nd Avenue and Mckinley Street after driving her around for a while.

She called police the next day.

Haliburton made his first appearance in court Tuesday, but no charges were filed because police said they are looking into the possibility that he committed similar crimes before.

“We believe there is at least one other occasion that he was involved in, and there may be more.  We’re still looking into that,” said Fulghum.

Haliburton was ordered held on $25,000 bail.

He is expected to be back in court in the next few days to be formally charged.