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Victim In Landlord Beating Case Arrested

COPS: ALLEGED VICTIM TRIED TO GET $3,000 TO DROP FELONY CHARGES

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By Joe  Seelig | Highlands Today

Published: June 23, 2008

AVON PARK — A tenant who accused his landlord of beating him to collect rent found himself in jail after allegations surfaced that he was trying to extort money from the landlord in exchange for dropping charges, according to the sheriff's office.

Roger Ray Vickery, 38, of 3603 Monza St., Sebring, was charged Friday with compounding a felony crime, punishable by death or life imprisonment, and fraud-swindle to gain money or property less than $20,000.

In late May, Vickery accused his landlord, Thomas Gordon Ramsey, 46, and two other men of beating him and robbing him to collect rent.

Ramsey, along with Donald Dewayne Shaffer, 36, of 2540 State Road 17, and Paul Michael Barnes, 29, of 2439 Lake Bonnet Road, were each charged with burglary with assault or battery, robbery with no firearm or weapon, and obstructing justice by intimidation, threat on victim, witness or informant.

Things changed when on June 13, Ramsey's attorney William Fletcher contacted the sheriff's office to report an "expected extortion," according to a sheriff's report.

Fletcher believed Vickery was forcing his client to pay $3,000 in exchange for dropping charges for the May arrest.

The report stated that Vickery contacted Ramsey on June 12 regarding the matter.

Ramsey reportedly told Vickery he could not speak with him as it would violate the terms of his bond and that any deal would have to go through Fletcher.

Vickery met with Ramsey at Fletcher's office and told him that the $3,000 payoff was to be made with the permission of the state attorney's office in exchange for a waiver of prosecution, the report stated.
The state attorney's office reported that during a meeting with Christine Pletcher on June 18, Vickery was told that the office did not recognize or condone cash payments for waiving criminal charges.

Vickery reportedly left the states attorney's office and walked over to Fletcher's office with a waiver of prosecution document, demanding his $3,000. Vickery was told the deal had not yet been approved.
He reportedly said that if he was not paid, he would go back to the state attorney's office and "reestablish the prosecution."

Ramsey, in a telephone call monitored by authorities, told Vickery that he needed until June 20 to come up with the $3,000.

On June 20, sheriff's investigators reported that Vickery said he had waived the prosecution and then accepted the $3,000 cash payment. The transaction was video and audio taped. Vickery was arrested by sheriff's investigators as he left Fletcher's office.

How It All Started
It was about 9:15 p.m. Monday, May 26, when the three men, charged with beating Vickery, were accused of driving to Vickery's home, then near Little Red Water Lake, in Avon Park.

Vickery told deputies he saw four men pull up to his home looking for the rent money.
He claimed he told his roommate to tell Ramsey that he wasn't home and went to the back of the trailer to avoid him.

Investigators said that Vickery reported that Ramsey and the two other men entered the house and began punching him in the head, and kicking him in the arm and back, according to the report.

He had a small cut to his right eye, deputies noted, as well as red marks where he said he was kicked, the report stated.

During the incident, the men took a Motorola cell phone and told the victim he could have it back when he paid the rent, the report stated.

The fourth man was listed as a witness and was not charged.

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