ROC
10-23-2008, 09:06 PM
A transgendered man, arrested for prostitution in Orange County, was booked into the jail as a woman, but his former roommate claims he stole her identity.
Richard Phillips was booked into the Orange County Jail as Brittany Ossenfort, but a woman with that same name said that's not who he is. According to sheriff's investigators, he is Richard Phillips.
The Holly Hill woman is outraged that she's listed as being arrested for prostitution. The real Brittany Ossenfort said she lived with Richard Phillips for more than a year, but thought he was a woman. She was shocked to later learn he was actually a man and even more shocked that he used her name in jail.
Eyewitness News interviewed Phillips in jail. He said he considers himself a female. When asked his name, Phillips replied, "Brittany Ossenfort."
Brittany Ossenfort watched that interview and scoffed.
"We've been friends. She was there through my whole pregnancy," said Ossenfort. "We met through a mutual friend, several mutual friends actually, and just decided to go shopping one day."
According to Brittany, she and Richard Phillips were roommates and good friends for more than a year. Brittany never knew Phillips was a man until after he moved out. She said he used the name "Michelle."
"I thought he was a girl for the first year of our friendship," said Ossenfort.
She thought it was a little strange when Phillips started to look like her and dress like her. He even got a tattoo on his hand like hers.
Phillips denied stealing Ossenfort's identity, but he was booked into the Orange County jail using her name and date of birth.
"I don't want that on my record, that I've been arrested for prostitution," Ossenfort said.
Ossenfort has pictures of the two of them together, but Phillips still denied he even knows her.
A jail spokesperson said Phillips' name cannot be changed in the record once he's booked under the name Brittany Ossenfort, but there will be a note in his file of his real name.
Brittany Ossenfort was told she may have to carry papers around with her for years documenting her identity, to prove she wasn't the one arrested for prostitution.
Richard Phillips was booked into the Orange County Jail as Brittany Ossenfort, but a woman with that same name said that's not who he is. According to sheriff's investigators, he is Richard Phillips.
The Holly Hill woman is outraged that she's listed as being arrested for prostitution. The real Brittany Ossenfort said she lived with Richard Phillips for more than a year, but thought he was a woman. She was shocked to later learn he was actually a man and even more shocked that he used her name in jail.
Eyewitness News interviewed Phillips in jail. He said he considers himself a female. When asked his name, Phillips replied, "Brittany Ossenfort."
Brittany Ossenfort watched that interview and scoffed.
"We've been friends. She was there through my whole pregnancy," said Ossenfort. "We met through a mutual friend, several mutual friends actually, and just decided to go shopping one day."
According to Brittany, she and Richard Phillips were roommates and good friends for more than a year. Brittany never knew Phillips was a man until after he moved out. She said he used the name "Michelle."
"I thought he was a girl for the first year of our friendship," said Ossenfort.
She thought it was a little strange when Phillips started to look like her and dress like her. He even got a tattoo on his hand like hers.
Phillips denied stealing Ossenfort's identity, but he was booked into the Orange County jail using her name and date of birth.
"I don't want that on my record, that I've been arrested for prostitution," Ossenfort said.
Ossenfort has pictures of the two of them together, but Phillips still denied he even knows her.
A jail spokesperson said Phillips' name cannot be changed in the record once he's booked under the name Brittany Ossenfort, but there will be a note in his file of his real name.
Brittany Ossenfort was told she may have to carry papers around with her for years documenting her identity, to prove she wasn't the one arrested for prostitution.