Georgia man sentenced for attempting to extort WSU student
A 24-year-old Georgia man was sentenced Friday to 15 months in prison for attempting to extort a Washington State University student after he obtained nude photos of the student.
Jordan Bowen pled guilty in Whitman County Superior Court to extortion in the second degree with sexual motivation.
According to a news release from Chief Deputy Prosecutor Dan LeBeau, Bowen was also sentenced to another three years of supervision and will have to register as sex offender.Additionally, the investigation into his crime led to charges for possession of child pornography in Georgia, where he will face more prison time.
Though Bowen had no connection to the WSU student, he obtained nude photos of her, created two fake identities and contacted the woman through social media. He threatened to send the photos to her friends and family if she did not send him more photos.
The woman refused. She reported him to the social media website and the WSU Police Department. WSU Police Sgt. Matt Kuhrt worked with the Newnan (Ga.) Police Department to connect Bowen to this crime.
LeBeau encouraged anyone who may be a victim of this type of crime to contact local law enforcement.
Deputies arrest Rosalia man after fire burns abandoned mobile homes
Whitman County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 65-year-old Rosalia man Thursday after he said he started a fire that destroyed three abandoned mobile homes on Summit Street in Rosalia.
Tracy Porter was arrested for first-degree reckless burning and booked into Whitman County Jail.
According to a statement from Undersheriff Chris Chapman, Whitman County Fire District 7 first responded after being advised that a mobile home was burning approximately 11:15 a.m.
Whitman County Fire districts 10, 2, 3 and 11 arrived on the scene after fire personnel observed a grass field was burning as well.
Porter told investigators his family owned the abandoned trailer park and admitted to lighting five fires on the property to burn the overgrown grass in and around the trailer park.
He told investigators the wind picked up and the fires got away from him. Deputies determined he did not have authority to burn grass.
New food bank opens in Moscow
West Side Food Bank, Moscow’s newest food pantry sponsored by Inland Oasis, opens Sunday at 730 W. Pullman Road, behind Liberty Tax & Loans.
“There are 7,730 people in our community living at or below the poverty line,” Inland Oasis President Kathy Sprague said in a news release. “Moscow has a poverty rate of 29.9 percent, significantly higher than the abysmal 14.5 percent the state of Idaho suffers. That’s a lot of hungry people.”
The West Side Food Bank will be open noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
In addition to traditional foods found at community pantries, Sprague said in the release the West Side Food Bank will provide foods for people who have food allergies, such as to wheat or nuts, plus keep a small array of grooming products such as toothpaste, deodorant and women’s personal hygiene products.
Moscow outdoor irrigation season starts Monday
The outdoor irrigation season for the city of Moscow will start Monday, according to a city news release.
During the outdoor irrigation season, the city encourages residents to refrain from outdoor irrigation until precipitation and soil moisture decreases to the point that landscaping needs supplemental water. Outdoor Irrigation is allowed between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. unless modified by variance, according to city code.
