By Dan Sullivan, Times Staff Writer
Friday, April 13, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG — A St. Petersburg man was charged with extortion Thursday after he threatened to publicize a sexually explicit photo of his ex-girlfriend, according to police.
Joao Pedro Filipe, 50, threatened to post the photo, which depicted the woman performing oral sex on him, on the internet if she did not return his motorcycle to him, according to an arrest report. The woman had taken the motorcycle as collateral for a loan she had given to Filipe, police said. He still owed her money, which was the reason the woman refused to return the bike.
On April 3, Filipe sent the photo to the woman's cell phone along with several threatening text messages, police said. After he was arrested Thursday, Filipe admitted to sending the messages.
He was booked in the Pinellas County Jail and held on $2,500 bail.