A Melbourne, Florida man was arrested after allegedly extorting over $80,000 from his spouse to gasoline his cocaine behavior by falsely claiming he was concerned with a drug cartel.
Eric Paul Johnson, 29, was charged with grand theft of $100,000 or extra, organized fraud to acquire property valued over $50,000 or extra, extortion, and illegal use of a two-way communications system – all felonies.
Court docket data say Johnson’s spouse returned residence from work in December 2023 and noticed a number of messages from an unknown telephone quantity. Within the messages, the particular person demanded varied sums of cash.
Johnson allegedly instructed his spouse they have been being blackmailed and {that a} man named “Troy” was going to assist them out.
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Eric Paul Johnson allegedly instructed his spouse he was concerned with a drug cartel and extorted over $80,000 from her to gasoline his cocaine behavior. (Brevard County Sheriffs Workplace)
The one who despatched the messages instructed Johnson’s spouse that her husband could be harm or killed if she didn’t ship cash to a CashApp account.
As an illustration, one of many messages learn partly, “… 500 now for my household or issues will occur.”
In one other message, the particular person wrote, “500 now or buenas noches,” which implies good evening in Spanish.
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Melbourne police arrested Eric Johnson for allegedly extorting over $80,000 from his spouse. (Melbourne Police Division)
Johnson was lacking when the messages have been despatched, although this was not the primary time he had allegedly disappeared, and ransom was demanded.
Simply two months earlier than Johnson’s spouse reported him lacking, he began to vanish continuously as a result of he allegedly owed cash to the cartel.
As soon as she paid the ransom to the alleged cartel, Johnson would come residence.
When Johnson disappeared in December, he was in possession of his spouse’s automobile. She instructed police she believed he returned to the home on the day of the kidnapping, noting she noticed an outfit he was beforehand carrying within the bed room, courtroom paperwork observe.
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Police discovered Johnson the day after he was reported lacking after he was seen driving on US 192 in Melbourne.
Police stated within the courtroom submitting that Johnson admitted he was the one who despatched the textual content messages from an unknown quantity to his spouse, including he had a cocaine downside.
Though Johnson stated he by no means bought medication, he admitted he was a private person, courtroom paperwork alleged.
When investigators searched his telephone, they allegedly discovered “sexting” messages to a lady on the day he was reported lacking by his spouse.
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Johnson met his spouse in Might 2020, and he disclosed to her that he used cocaine and marijuana, but in addition labored for a drug cartel, courtroom paperwork allege.
He additionally allegedly instructed her he was working a “giant amount of cocaine, which was finally intercepted and resulted in a lack of $60,000.”
Johnson’s spouse helped him repay the alleged debt.
Practically two years earlier than the couple married, Johnson allegedly stole $9,000 from his spouse by pulling cash out of ATMs round Melbourne.
Between Might 2020 and December 2023, Johnson allegedly obtained $18,120 from his spouse and a complete of $124,549 from her and different sources.
On Friday, Johnson pleaded not responsible to the costs.