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Tampa Police: 'Touching' Threat Nets Extortion Charge

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 24, 2008

TAMPA - Police accused a 30-year-old man of trying to extort money from another man by threatening to have him criminally charged.

Shannon Reed Shepard of Tampa told the other man several times this week to pay him money for "psychological treatment for his son," an affidavit states.

Otherwise, Shepard told the man he would have him prosecuted for "allegedly touching" Shepard's son inappropriately, the affidavit states.

Tampa police said today they are investigating whether the other man, who was not identified, had done anything inappropriate with the child. Investigators did not say how old Shepard's son is or how much money was involved.

Shepard was held at Orient Road Jail on $7,500 bail today. He is charged with felony extortion.

The affidavit says Shepard stated the amount of money he wanted after he "falsely claimed that he had gotten estimates for counseling, made appointments and actually had counseling."

Police recorded phone conversations and meetings between the men, the affidavit states.

Court records show Shepard is on probation after being convicted of felony escape from confinement. He was sentenced to three years of probation in April 2007 and ordered to undergo a mental-health evaluation after authorities found he escaped from custody, court records say. At the time, he had been serving 364 days in a Hillsborough County jail on a felony grand theft conviction.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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