Global Navigation
Office of The Attorney General
The State of New Jersey Office of The Attorney General (Dept. of Law & Public Safety) The State of New Jersey NJ Home Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Home
OAG Contact
spacer
Back to News Releases
OAG Home Attorney General's Biography
Attorney General's Biography
spacer spacer spacer
   
 
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
For Immediate Release: For Further Information:
March 17, 2014

Office of The Attorney General
- John J. Hoffman, Acting Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
- Elie Honig, Director
Media Inquiries-
Peter Aseltine
609-292-4791
     

Citizen Inquiries-

609-984-5828
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
Philadelphia Man Pleads Guilty to Blackmailing Victim Who Responded to His Craigslist Ad for Homosexual Sex
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a Philadelphia man pleaded guilty today to blackmailing a New Jersey man who responded to his Craigslist advertisement soliciting homosexual sex.

Steven J. Beisher, 42, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to an accusation charging him with second-degree theft by extortion before Superior Court Judge Jeanne T. Covert in Burlington County. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Beisher be sentenced to five years in state prison. In pleading guilty, Beisher admitted that he extorted a total of $1,950 from the victim.

An investigation by the New Jersey State Police revealed that Beisher posted a personal ad on Craigslist soliciting homosexual sex. The victim responded to the ad in August 2012 and sent Beisher a naked photo of himself. Beisher found the victim’s telephone number and address and called him the following day, threatening to expose the victim to his wife and family if he did not pay Beisher money. Beisher called repeatedly to demand that the victim meet him at various locations in Philadelphia to make payments. The victim met Beisher seven times over the course of nine days, making payments ranging from $200 to $400. The victim paid Beisher a total of $1,950 before refusing to meet him again and reporting him to the State Police.

Judge Covert scheduled sentencing for Beisher for July 11.

Deputy Attorney General Naju Lathia prosecuted Beisher and took the guilty plea today for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau. The case was investigated by Detective Sgt. 1st Class Cyril Bleistine and Detective Jose Samol of the New Jersey State Police Cyber Crimes Unit.

Beisher has eight prior felony convictions in Pennsylvania, including five burglary convictions and two convictions for receiving stolen property. Most recently, he was convicted of theft by extortion in Pennsylvania in October 2012.

spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
 
 
Contact OAG About OAG
OAG News OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Library Employment
OAG Grants Proposed Rules
OAG History OAG Services A-Z
OAG Agencies / Programs / Units
Other News Pages Otras Noticias en Español Division of NJ State Police Division of Law News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Gaming Enforcement News
NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News

free PDF plugin

NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News
   
Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement | Accessibility Statement
NJ Home Logo
Departmental: OAG Home | Contact OAG | About OAG | OAG News | OAG FAQs
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs
Copyright © State of New Jersey
This page is maintained by OAG Communications. Comments/Questions: email or call 609-292-4925
OAG Home OAG Home NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Graphic Click to enlarge chart Click to enlarge map Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge