Emergency Contact Arrested For Allegedly Extorting Brothers Over BB Gun Suspension
A 48-year-old Florida woman has been arrested and charged with felony extortion after police say she demanded money from two young brothers to conceal a school suspension involving a BB gun. Valeda Suarez, identified as the emergency contact for one of the children, was taken into custody following a sting operation arranged by Miami-Dade investigators.
The incident began in March when one of the brothers reportedly purchased a BB gun on Amazon and gave it to his sibling, who subsequently brought the item to school. After the student was caught and suspended, school administrators contacted Suarez, who was listed as the emergency contact, rather than the children’s mother. According to the arrest report, Suarez offered to house the suspended student during school hours to prevent his mother from discovering the disciplinary action.
Investigators allege that Suarez utilized this position of trust to extort the siblings. The arrest affidavit states that she threatened to report the children to the police for possession of a firearm and expose their academic grades to their mother if they did not pay her. Fearing arrest and parental discipline, the brothers reportedly complied, transferring funds via Cash App and providing cash using money obtained from their mother.
Police intervened after being alerted to the scheme, arranging a meeting with Suarez at a Taco Bell in North Miami Beach. During the interaction with detectives, Suarez allegedly admitted to the extortion, citing personal financial difficulties as her motivation. She was subsequently charged with threats of extortion and child neglect or abuse.
Despite the alleged confession noted in police documents, court records indicate that Suarez has pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was released on a $3,000 bond and has been ordered by a judge to maintain no contact with the victims while the legal case proceeds.
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