Shreveport Police Dept.

Date: August 18, 2004

Phone: 318/673-6932 Fax: 318/673-6933

Contact: Sgt. Jim Taliaferro, Public Information Officer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two Arrested in Extortion/Harassment Sting

Shreveport Police Detectives have jailed two suspects for placing harassing phone calls in an attempt to extort money from a local business man.

Shreveport Police Detective Patricia Lamotte was contacted by Tom Leonard of Morgan/Stanley who said he had been receiving daily threatening phone calls since May from a black female subject. The calls were made to his place of employment demanding that he pay her money or she was going to cause bodily harm to him and damage his property at work and at his residence.

Detective Lamotte said another suspect Shanti Gillyard (b/m, 5-6-81), had been previously been to Leonard’s home with a friend who was an employee of Leonard as she picked up her paycheck from him.

Seeing an opportunity for obtaining money from Leonard, Gillyard made arrangements with a black female, later identified as Kim Wright(1-13-85). Gillyard told Wright to call Leonard and demand money in exchange for his safety. For approximately two months, conversations between Leonard’s business and the suspect were monitored. Bell South traced the suspect’s phone calls linking her to the crime.

On August 16^th, Shreveport Police and Mr. Leonard set up a controlled operation, with marked money and electronic surveillance and monitored the transactions and conversations between Leonard and Wright. Wright was taken into custody shortly after the exchange of money with Leonard and subsequently confessed to the offense implicating Gillyard as being involved in the extortion plan.

Shreveport Police department wishes to express their appreciation to Mr. Leonard and the employees of Morgan/Stanley for their assistance in abducting these suspects.

-spd-

View all SPD press releases at www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/police/spdnews