The Johnstown County Report reports:
A former employee at a Selma animal hospital has been charged with extortion and cyberstalking. Eduardo Figueroa, age 40, of S. Sussex Drive, Smithfield was arrested December 14 at his residence by Smithfield Police. Stolen medical records from the animal hospital were also recovered at his home, police said.
On December 9, Selma Police were dispatched to For Pet’s Sake Animal Hospital on S. Raiford Street. According to a police report, the owner, Dr. Barbara Cotten, told police she had just fired Figueroa earlier that day. Figueroa had previously made comments the business could be turned to ash if he wished, the report stated. A couple of months earlier, he allegedly made unsettling comments when Dr. Cotten took away his key to the business.
After his termination, staff discovered old medical records belonging to the business were missing. Police obtain an email Figueroa sent to Dr. Cotten demanding a $50 per month fee to prevent him from releasing their customers’ private information on the “darknet.” The email stated the business had until December 16 to make good on his demands, according to the police report.
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