Cops foil extortion plot, seek second suspect

San Ignacio police are tonight claiming a victory after they foiled a blackmailing plot and arrested one of the suspects. According to a police press release, on October twenty-seventh a San Ignacio businessman had just arrived home when two men approached, entered his vehicle, and forced him to drive away. However, when the victim neared the wooden bridge between the twin towns, he deliberately ran the vehicle off the road and managed to escape in the confusion. He then called the police and informed them of the crime. Not satisfied that their victim got away, the culprits proceeded to place several calls to the victim’s family threatening to hurt them if they were not paid some cash. As a result, the police set up a sting operation in which they nabbed twenty-four year old Nicaraguan Everett Mejia. Mejia has since been charged with one count of kidnapping and three counts each of blackmail and conspiracy to commit blackmail. His accomplice, however, managed to escape and police have issued an all points bulletin for his arrest. He is identified as twenty-one year old Honduran national Anivar Orellano. A sizable reward is being offered for Orellano’s arrest and anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the CrimeStoppers hotline at 0-800-922-TIPS.