A different Craigslist scam!
I was reading the daily paper & this jumped out at me. I assume most here don't get our country paper & didn't know if it would make the bid city news. I thought some here might be interested. I didn't know if it was OK to leave the accused's name in so I ****'d it out. Another reason to be careful.
Mars man is victim of alleged blackmail
Police arrest Allison Park man
GG By Jim Smith
Eagle Staff Writer
ADAMS TWP — A suspected case of sex-baiting left a Mars area man exposed and out several hundred dollars in alleged hush payments.
Adams Township police on Saturday arrested the purported extortionist, an Allegheny County man who is accused of setting up the blackmail scam through an online advertising site.
Police said ********, 25, of Allison Park used an anonymous e-mail account via Craigslist to create an ad seeking a sexual encounter.
The alleged victim, a man who authorities asked not be identified, responded. Later, ***** used the e-mail to track down personal information about the other man, police said.
The defendant contacted the victim and “demanded $1,200 or else he would tell his family and employer about his contact with him,” according to court documents.
Police said the victim was “distraught” and “eventually went along with the bribe.” However, he told the suspect he could only afford $250. The two ultimately agreed on the amount — $300 in cash — and the drop — a fast-food restaurant on Route 19 in Wexford.
The victim told police he dropped off the money, contained in a manila envelope in the changing station of the restaurant’s rest room Nov. 10, documents said.
He believed the matter was closed. But soon after, ***** contacted him again, and demanded another $300.
***** this time told the victim to drop off the money at a fast-food restaurant on Route 228 in Adams Township.
The victim again complied, leaving an envelope with cash in the rest room changing station Nov. 12, documents said.
Soon after, the victim decided to tell police, fearing the extortion scam could go on indefinitely. His concern was realized when ***** emailed him again demanding more money, documents said.
Police set up a sting Saturday at the same Route 228 restaurant. The victim agreed to drop off $300 while undercover officers waited at the restaurant.
The victim made the drop and left. Soon after, the defendant walked into the restaurant and went into the rest room.
Police nabbed ***** when he walked out of the restaurant. He was found with $300 in 20-dollar bills, which matched the bills that investigators had photocopied and given to the victim.
***** voluntarily told police that he had a “gambling problem and owed people money,” documents said.
But after police read him his Miranda warnings, ***** asked to speak to an attorney.
District Judge Dave Kovach on Sunday arraigned ***** on three felony counts of unlawful use of a computer and three misdemeanor counts of theft by extortion.
Additionally, he is charged with misdemeanor harassment and driving with a suspended license.
A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 2 at the office of District Judge Wayne Seibel in Evans City. ***** is free on $5,000 bail.
*****’s attorney, Randall McKinney of Pittsburgh, declined to discuss the charges Monday but defended his client’s character.
“Mr. ***** is a good man who loves his fiancee and young daughter,” McKinney said. “ I think the public would be well served to reserve judgment in this matter until all of the facts come to light.”
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