Man arrested on extortion charges

Published 10:03 pm Thursday, May 21, 2009

A Brundidge man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to keep a Front Porch customer from leaving the bar Saturday night by pretending to be a police officer.

Matthew Seale Mobley, 36, was arrested Tuesday and faces two felony charges of impersonating a peace officer and extortion second degree after an incident was reported to have taken place between 2:45 and 3 a.m. Saturday, said Troy Police Spokesman Sgt. Benny Scarbrough.

Scarbrough said Mobley is reported to have approached a customer in the bar claiming to be an off-duty officer working for the Front Porch.

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Further, he allegedly told the victim to pay $75 in order to leave the bar.

“The individual asked to see his badge and ID, and at that time Mobley turned and walked away,” Scarbrough said.

Scarbrough said he would not release any identification of the victim, but he said there was just one victim in the incident.

But, there were several witnesses who positively identified Mobley as the suspect.

A warrant was signed for his arrest, and he was taken into custody at the Troy Police Department.

He was later transported to the Pike County Jail and has since been released on bond, which was a total of $5,000.