'Swing Set Susan' charged with impersonating a police officer after threatening to arrest Hispanic teens

A white woman has been charged with impersonating a police officer after she was seen threatening to arrest a group of Hispanic teenagers playing at a park in a now-viral video.

Samantha Louise Eley, 38, was charged with impersonating a public servant Wednesday, the Fort Worth Police Department announced on Twitter. The charges stem from an Oct. 16 incident captured in a one-minute clip that shows Eley tell a group of teenagers at Dream Park in Fort Worth to stop playing on a swing because it's a children's park.

"We are children," one of the teens tells her.

In an expletive-filled rant, Eley tells the group she is a "PD" and that because the girl is 16, she can be arrested as an adult.

"Which is your choice?" Eley said. "Go, now! Get out of here!"

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The video has been viewed more than 5 million times and earned Eley the nickname of "Swing Set Susan." The clip is reminiscent of other viral incidents in which white women have called the police on black or Hispanic people doing everyday activities. They've been dubbed with names such as "BBQ Becky" and "Permit Patty."

Fort Worth Police confirmed on Twitter that Eley is not a law enforcement officer and that they were investigating the incident.

After watching the video, Fort Worth police Detective B. Cantu created a photo lineup that included Eley, according to the arrest warrant.

He met with one of the girls in the video and she identified Eley as the suspect. The teen, who has not been identified by police, said she believed Eley was a police officer and left the park with her friends because of the confrontation.

Eley was already in custody at the Tarrant County Jail on a charge of assault causing bodily harm, according to jail records. She was read her Miranda rights in jail, but declined to be interviewed.

If found guilty of impersonating an officer, Eley could face a fine up to $10,000 and prison time of up to 10 years.

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Swing Set Susan': Texas woman charged for threatening Hispanic teens