Polson man gets suspended sentence for extortion video

POLSON — A Polson man who admitted to charges of attempted theft was given a three-year suspended sentence in Lake County District Court last Wednesday. Jack Whaling agreed to a plea agreement in February after trying to extort a community member with a sex tape.

The 20-year-old Whaling was one of two men apprehended by police after the extortion victim went to authorities. Whaling will also have to serve 60 days in the Lake County Jail within six months and pay $500 of restitution within one year.

According to Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports, the extortion victim had called authorities after receiving an anonymous threatening note that said a video of the victim engaged in sexual activity would be published on the Internet if the victim didn’t pay up. The letter demanded $10,000 cash to be dropped at a location in Lake County and contained a thumb drive with a copy of the video referred to in the letter.

The victim said the video was stored on a video recorder that had been stolen from his home during a burglary several years earlier. He added he didn’t know who the suspects were.

Authorities prepared a bag containing primarily fake bills covered in real U.S. currency. On Aug. 17, surveillance was set up at the cash drop-off zone and the victim dropped the bag off. Four and a half hours later, two men arrived at the scene to retrieve the bag. Authorities identified themselves, causing the men to run.

Whaling’s accomplice was apprehended at the scene and he identified Whaling, saying that he had probably run off to his parents’ house. When authorities arrived to make contact with Whaling, they also had to apprehend his mother in the process.