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Relatives Released On Bail In RV King Extortion Case

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Clyde Strickland, Marion “Connie” Strickland and their daughter, Samantha Harris, turned themselves in to the Orient Road Jail Monday night.

By THOMAS W. KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 17, 2008

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Don Wallace

TAMPA - Three South Carolina residents were released from a Hillsborough County jail Tuesday on $100,000 bail each; all face charges that they tried to extort $1.2 million from one of their relatives, Lazydays RV SuperCenter co-founder Don Wallace.

Last week, arrest warrants were issued stating the three threatened to go public with allegations that Wallace molested his niece and fathered her child – allegations Wallace denies.

Marion "Connie" Strickland, 61, her husband, Clyde, 67, and their daughter, Samantha Strickland Harris, 26, all of Columbia, S.C., are charged with extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion.

Officials with the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office planned to seek a warrant for their extradition from South Carolina before all three turned themselves in at Orient Road Jail on Monday.

In Hillsborough County Circuit Court Tuesday morning, defense attorney Jason Rogozinski attempted to ask for lower bail, but Judge Walter Heinrich said he would not hear that request Tuesday.

He instructed Rogozinski to file a written motion for a bail hearing if he wanted to pursue a lower bail.

Instead, all three posted bail about 5 p.m.

Heinrich ordered the trio not to have any contact with Wallace or his wife, Erika.

Wallace's relatives deserve to be in prison for their threats, said Wallace's attorney, Barry Cohen.

"They eventually will have to deal with the consequences of their actions," he said. "They committed a crime, a very serious crime, and they have to be held accountable. That's how the system works."

Rogozinski said the allegations against his clients are very serious and he didn't want to address them before seeing the investigative information from the state attorney's office. The charges, he said, "may be blown out of proportion."

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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