Authorities are searching for Scott Mills, 68, a former Prairie View police officer now wanted in connection with a traffic stop that a court filing describes as sexually charged. The alleged encounter happened June 10, 2024, in Harris County, when a driver who had recently moved to Texas said a black SUV marked "Police" pulled alongside her near her apartment and signaled for her to roll down her window. She told investigators the officer touched her face and neck, made explicit comments about her body, and urged her to save his phone number. She later reported the incident to the Houston Police Department.
A probable-cause document filed Feb. 6 names Mills and says surveillance footage and license-plate data place a marked patrol vehicle at the scene, according to Click2Houston. The filing, as reported by the station, alleges Mills walked up to the woman’s window, complimented her eyelashes and tattoos, then reached into the vehicle. Records say he told her she was "lucky" he was the one who pulled her over instead of "a white cop" and stored his contact information in her phone under the name "Scott."
What Court Records Say
Court documents quoted in local coverage include the allegation that Mills told the driver, "I can see you have nipple piercings," before asking several graphic questions about her sexual preferences. The records state he stayed in his vehicle as she drove away and that she later identified him in a photo lineup, details reported by Click2Houston.
What The Charge Means
Under Texas law, official oppression can include unlawful mistreatment or sexual harassment by a public servant, and the offense is generally a Class A misdemeanor. The statute increases the penalty to a felony only in a narrow circumstance tied to falsifying certain education data, according to Justia.
What's Next
The probable-cause filing was submitted Feb. 6, and local reporting indicated Mills was not in custody at the time of publication. Prosecutors and investigators will determine whether to seek an arrest or additional charges. Prairie View officials told the station that Mills was dismissed from the department in January 2025 at the direction of the city manager. Online records listed him with the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, though that agency had not issued a public confirmation.
Local Policing Context
Prairie View has been under the microscope before. A 2015 tasing and arrest of a city councilman ultimately led to an indictment, as reporting by the Houston Chronicle shows. The latest allegations add to ongoing questions about how smaller departments police their own officers and what real protections drivers have when a supposedly routine traffic stop suddenly crosses the line.
