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A 48-year-old Portland resident threatened another man to give him $5,000 in cash or he'd inform police about the man's criminal activity, according to police and prosecutors. Now the 48-year-old is accused of theft by extortion. (Oregonian/OregonLive)

(The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Sean Proctor, 48, sent multiple emails to another man, coercing him to pay him $5,000 or he'd blab to police about the man's past purchase of stolen goods that he captured with photos.

The man facing the threats turned over the cash to Proctor, handing him a wad of dollars in a McDonald's bag outside a fast-food restaurant in Northeast Portland.

Sean Proctor

But it was Proctor who ended up behind bars.

He clearly had no idea he was attempting to extort cash from an undercover retail theft investigator, police and prosecutors said.

Proctor Friday morning pleaded not guilty to charges of theft by extortion, felon in possession of a firearm and felony computer crime.

The alleged offenses occurred Aug. 24 and were investigated by Portland police Det. Andrew Griggs.

The alleged extortion grew out of the retail investigator's undercover buys of stolen merchandise from Proctor's friend, Benjamin Jonah Eisenmann, according to court documents.

The investigator discovered Eisenmann was listing merchandise for sale on the Internet's OfferUp service, and arranged to meet him to purchase some of the products.

Over the course of several meetings, the undercover investigator paid Eisenmann $8,580 in cash for batteries, shampoo and conditioner and diapers that later were determined to be stolen. Many of the items still had stickers or markings that indicated the store where the goods had been taken from, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The investigator also found video surveillance of Eisenmann shoplifting from Safeway at least 15 times, grabbing many of the goods he was now selling online, according to Multnomah County deputy district attorney Kevin Demer.

At one meeting, Eisenmann was accompanied by Proctor.

On July 20, Portland police arrested Eisenmann when he arrived at Mall 205, attempting to meet up again for a sale of goods. Eisenmann was charged with seven counts of first-degree theft.

Without Eisenmann's knowledge, Proctor later started emailing the customer that Eisenmann had introduced him to, according to police and prosecutors.

Proctor demanded $5,000 from Eisenmann's customer or he'd spill the beans about his criminal activity, the purchase of stolen merchandise, according to the indictment.

After receiving several emails from Proctor, the so-called customer of Eisenmann agreed to meet Proctor at a McDonald's in Northeast Portland. He put $5,000 in cash in a McDonald's bag and handed the money to Proctor, according to a prosecutor.

Portland police swiftly arrested Proctor as he left the restaurant with the cash.

Besides the extortion charge, Proctor is accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm because he had a gun with him when arrested, police said.

Proctor told court officials that he's been living as a transient and is self-employed as a floor installer. He also said he has a heroin addiction and uses the drug daily, according to court documents.

Proctor was arrested Aug. 24 and released from custody two days later. He was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court Friday morning and is due back in court Oct. 21.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian