http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11065695&BRD=988&PAG=461&dept_id=141265&rfi=6
A Shelby Township Web site operator is accused of trying to extort $300,000 from the county's primary law enforcement agency — the Macomb County Sheriff's Office.
Patrick Arthur Richard, 37, faces four felonies, including extortion, for allegedly holding the sheriff's office Web site hostage in exchange for money. Richard's Running Wolf Inc. operated the sheriff's office Internet site for nearly three years as a free service before shutting it down three months ago because the county wouldn't pay him.
"This is a case of someone trying to get rich quick," said Eric Kaiser, chief trial attorney for the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. "He was given the privilege of carrying the banner of the Macomb County Sheriff's department and he tried to take advantage of it."
Richard's attorney, James Simmons, however, called the charges "absurd" and said his client merely attempted to negotiate with Hackel and his staff.
He argued the conflict should be resolved in civil court.
"Everyone should sit down and come up with a negotiated price," Simmons said. "This is no more a case of extortion than someone going to a car dealer and offering the dealer less than the listed price, then leaving because he didn't get it. This is really extortion by the sheriff's department."
Richard, who is free on a $5,000 personal bond, faces a preliminary examination today in 41B District Court in Mount Clemens on charges of extortion, using a computer to commit a crime, larceny by conversion and obstruction of justice. The most serious charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Richard, a former reserve deputy in the sheriff's marine division, more than three years ago offered to provide the Web site at no cost to the county as an in-kind contribution. Hackel, who enthusiastically supported it, said Richard agreed to operate it in exchange for publicity for his company.
The Web site, www.macombsheriff.com, debuted in March 2001 to praise by officials. Richard said it attracted 3.5 million hits per month from throughout the world.
The site provided comprehensive information about the department, a way for the public to communicate with police and archives of newspaper articles.
A year or so ago, Richard started talking with Hackel's staff about earning income from the site. An attempt was made to secure advertisements for the site with profits going to Richard, but Hackel said that generated only a small response.
Richard then demanded $300,000 of taxpayer dollars from the county. Richard said the money would offset the huge expense of running the Web site for the 33 months.
"That was by no means the end of negotiations," said Simmons, Richard's attorney. "He shut it down because he didn't want to lose any more money."
But Hackel said that exorbitant demand amounts to extortion.
"He built up the site so that we would rely on it so much and would pay him," Hackel said. "(But) that content belongs to all of us."
Kaiser said the actual expense to run the site was miniscule compared to the demand.
Simmons said the Web site included a disclaimer that said it was owned by Running Wolf Inc.
"The sheriff's department never disputed that fact when the site was up," Simmons said.
Kaiser responded to Simmon's claim that the case is a civil matter.
"The O.J. (O.J. Simpson) case showed us that a criminal case can be a civil case," he said.
Hackel said Richard also impeded the investigation by the Macomb Area Computer Enforcement team, which seized Richard's computer and related records. Richard lied to investigators by claiming he sold the domain name to a Virginia company, Hackel said.
Hackel said his mistake was placing too much trust in Richard and agreeing to have Richard pay the nominal domain fee. Richard retains authority of the domain name.
Since the site shut down Jan. 1, the sheriff's office set up its own site, www.macomb-sheriff.com. The new site is bare bones compared to the original one, but Hackel said it provide the most important function — public communication with his office in the form of e-mail.
Hackel would like to regain the prior site's name.
The former Web site name has been removed from patrol cars, but the office still has letterhead, business cards and other material still listing the prior site. Hackel said it would cost several thousand dollars to complete the changeover.
Officials noted that defendant Richard is unrelated to current sheriff's office Corrections Sgt. Pat Richard.
A Shelby Township Web site operator is accused of trying to extort $300,000 from the county's primary law enforcement agency — the Macomb County Sheriff's Office.
Patrick Arthur Richard, 37, faces four felonies, including extortion, for allegedly holding the sheriff's office Web site hostage in exchange for money. Richard's Running Wolf Inc. operated the sheriff's office Internet site for nearly three years as a free service before shutting it down three months ago because the county wouldn't pay him.
"This is a case of someone trying to get rich quick," said Eric Kaiser, chief trial attorney for the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. "He was given the privilege of carrying the banner of the Macomb County Sheriff's department and he tried to take advantage of it."
Richard's attorney, James Simmons, however, called the charges "absurd" and said his client merely attempted to negotiate with Hackel and his staff.
He argued the conflict should be resolved in civil court.
"Everyone should sit down and come up with a negotiated price," Simmons said. "This is no more a case of extortion than someone going to a car dealer and offering the dealer less than the listed price, then leaving because he didn't get it. This is really extortion by the sheriff's department."
Richard, who is free on a $5,000 personal bond, faces a preliminary examination today in 41B District Court in Mount Clemens on charges of extortion, using a computer to commit a crime, larceny by conversion and obstruction of justice. The most serious charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Richard, a former reserve deputy in the sheriff's marine division, more than three years ago offered to provide the Web site at no cost to the county as an in-kind contribution. Hackel, who enthusiastically supported it, said Richard agreed to operate it in exchange for publicity for his company.
The Web site, www.macombsheriff.com, debuted in March 2001 to praise by officials. Richard said it attracted 3.5 million hits per month from throughout the world.
The site provided comprehensive information about the department, a way for the public to communicate with police and archives of newspaper articles.
A year or so ago, Richard started talking with Hackel's staff about earning income from the site. An attempt was made to secure advertisements for the site with profits going to Richard, but Hackel said that generated only a small response.
Richard then demanded $300,000 of taxpayer dollars from the county. Richard said the money would offset the huge expense of running the Web site for the 33 months.
"That was by no means the end of negotiations," said Simmons, Richard's attorney. "He shut it down because he didn't want to lose any more money."
But Hackel said that exorbitant demand amounts to extortion.
"He built up the site so that we would rely on it so much and would pay him," Hackel said. "(But) that content belongs to all of us."
Kaiser said the actual expense to run the site was miniscule compared to the demand.
Simmons said the Web site included a disclaimer that said it was owned by Running Wolf Inc.
"The sheriff's department never disputed that fact when the site was up," Simmons said.
Kaiser responded to Simmon's claim that the case is a civil matter.
"The O.J. (O.J. Simpson) case showed us that a criminal case can be a civil case," he said.
Hackel said Richard also impeded the investigation by the Macomb Area Computer Enforcement team, which seized Richard's computer and related records. Richard lied to investigators by claiming he sold the domain name to a Virginia company, Hackel said.
Hackel said his mistake was placing too much trust in Richard and agreeing to have Richard pay the nominal domain fee. Richard retains authority of the domain name.
Since the site shut down Jan. 1, the sheriff's office set up its own site, www.macomb-sheriff.com. The new site is bare bones compared to the original one, but Hackel said it provide the most important function — public communication with his office in the form of e-mail.
Hackel would like to regain the prior site's name.
The former Web site name has been removed from patrol cars, but the office still has letterhead, business cards and other material still listing the prior site. Hackel said it would cost several thousand dollars to complete the changeover.
Officials noted that defendant Richard is unrelated to current sheriff's office Corrections Sgt. Pat Richard.