Man charged in extortion case

POLSON — A Polson man pleaded guilty to involvement in an extortion attempt that demanded $10,000 from the victim. Facing charges of theft, 20-year old Canyon Murrin accepted a plea agreement Nov. 2 and will be sentenced for the crime on Dec. 7.

According to court documents, Murrin and another accomplice said they would publish a video of the victim engaged in sexual activity unless the victim gave them the $10,000. However, Lake County Sheriff’s Department detectives thwarted their scheme.

Earlier this year after receiving a note that demanded ransom to be left at a described location, the victim contacted the Lake County Sheriff Department. The note also had a thumb drive with a copy of the video in the letter. The victim said the video had been stored on a video recorder that was stolen from his house several years earlier, and they did not know who the suspects might be.

Documents state that on Aug. 17, members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office set up surveillance at the drop off spot and had the victim leave a prepared bag of primarily fake bills covered by real U.S. bills. Four and a half hours after the victim left the ransom bag, detectives observed two males, later identified as Murrin and his accomplice, arrive at the location to pick it up.

After one of the detectives revealed himself, both men ran and Murrin was apprehended a short distance away. Murrin later identified his accomplice to authorities and the location as to where he fled.

Murrin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years.