There Still Black Mail on Closet Gays Pa.Man Paid $2K to Keep His Wife from Knowing
A Philadelphia man on Monday admitted to extorting nearly $2,000 from a New Jersey man who responded to his Craigslist sex ad.
Steven J. Beisher, 42, pleaded guilty to theft by extortion before Superior Court Judge Jeanne T. Covert in Burlington County.
State police investigating the case said he placed a personal ad on Craigslist soliciting sex with a man. The victim in August 2012 responded to the ad and sent a naked picture of himself to Beisher.
Beisher then found the victim’s phone number and address and called him the next day, threatening to tell his wife and family that he’d responded to the sex ad if he didn’t pay him.
Beisher called to schedule meetings at various Philadelphia locations to collect payments. The victim met him seven times in nine days and made payments of $200 to $400.
He’d paid Beisher a total of $1,950 before refusing to meet him again. He reported the extortion to state police.
Under a plea agreement, the state will recommend Beisher be sentenced to five years in prison. Covert scheduled his sentencing for July 11.
This is far from Beisher’s first encounter with authorities. He has eight prior convictions in Pennsylvania, including five for burglary and two for receiving stolen property, authorities said.
Most recently, he was convicted of theft by extortion in October 2012.
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