Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Suspect arrested in extortion of gays Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 15:11:15 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Suspect arrested in extortion of gays \BY Laurie Kellman \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Arlington police arrested a man who they believe tried seven times in the last two years to extort money from homosexual men while claiming to be a police officer. Gary Edward Brummett, 31, of the 10800 block of First Street in Fairfax City, was arrested Wednesday after he followed a 28-year-old man into a restroom in an office building in the 1700 block of S. Jefferson Davis Highway and offered to perform sex on him, police said. After the man accepted, Mr. Brummett told the man he was an undercover police officer and threatened to arrest him. He then told the victim he would "forget the whole thing" if the victim paid him $300, said Arlington police spokesman Tom Bell. When the victim went to get the money from an automated teller machine, he notified police, who arrested Mr. Brummett. He was held overnight at the Arlington Detention Center on $4,000 bond, which he paid yesterday. Police believe Mr. Brummett is responsible for six similar incidents in Arlington since September 1990. Five of the incidents occurred between Jan. 10 and Oct. 14 at Ballston Common mall, Mr. Bell said. Curt Durham, director of mall security, said he took special measures to catch the man. "He was fairly elusive," said Mr. Durham. "We're very pleased he changed his venue, and we'll be happy if this is the man we were looking for." In each case the man reportedly offered to perform sexual acts on men in restrooms, claimed to be an undercover police officer, threatened to arrest his victims and then demanded hush money. The other incident occurred in September 1990 at 1500 S. Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington, Mr. Bell said. Court records on Mr. Brummett were not available last night, but the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office said he has a record of arrests that stretches back to July of last year. He has been charged with window-peering, being drunk in public and forging three prescriptions, a sheriff's office spokeswoman said. A grand jury will decide on Monday whether to indict Mr. Brummett on the Arlington charges, Mr. Bell said. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM