Extortion charge against Limestone man bound to court

A felony extortion charge against a Limestone, N.Y., man was bound to McKean County Court at a preliminary Wednesday before District Judge Dominic Cercone.

Lloyd J. “Boney” Baribeau, 40, of 793 Main St., Limestone, is charged with criminal attempt-theft by extortion-expose secret, a third-degree felony, after being accused of trying to get his therapist to buy him a car.

According to the criminal complaint, Baribeau was a client of Dr. Joshua Halbauer’s starting in 2018 until May 2019. Starting on Feb. 23, 2020, Baribeau began messaging and/or calling Halbauer, making allegations that Halbauer had inappropriate phone contact with him. Baribeau told Halbauer he would expose him and Halbauer would lose his job and possibly his medical license.

However, Halbauer “told Baribeau countless times that he did not commit any improper acts against him on the phone or in person,” the complaint stated. Halbauer also explained to Baribeau that there is a proper way to make a complaint against a professional and that extortion is illegal.

Baribeau continued messaging Halbauer and started demanding the Halbauer purchase a BMW in Buffalo, N.Y., and sign it over to Baribeau immediately, according to court records. Baribeau sent three photos of vehicles to Halbauer and told him he would accept any of the three.

Baribeau’s demands “became increasingly more aggressive” between Feb. 23 and April 1, the complaint stated. Halbauer “is scared of Lloyd Baribeau and feels threatened not only that he is being extorted for money but he feels in his professional opinion that Baribeau’s aggression is increasing rapidly and he feels Baribeau could be capable of physical aggression against him as well.”

According to the complaint, Baribeau told Halbauer that if his demand for the car could not be met, he would accept $30,000 cash for one day only at 10 a.m. sharp on April 1 in the Aldi grocery store in the Bradford Mall parking lot.

“When Baribeau was making these demands he again was highly aggressive and accepted no other way but his way,” the complaint stated. Halbauer “tried everything in his professional wisdom to reason with Baribeau” before he decided there was no other option than to go to the police.

Bradford City Police collected evidence, filed charges and obtained a warrant for Baribeau’s arrest. They made a plan to set up surveillance at the meeting location at Aldi to arrest him there.

On April 2, Bradford City Police announced that they successfully arrested Baribeau the day before at Aldi, with assistance from the City of Bradford Street Crimes Unit, Foster Township Police, Pennsylvania State Police and the McKean County Drug Task Force.

At the time he was arrested, Baribeau was also wanted on a warrant out of Chautauqua County, N.Y., for felony drug charges, court records indicate.

Baribeau is in McKean County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

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Assault, resisting arrest charges against Bradford man bound to court

Charges against a Bradford man accused of assault and resisting arrest were bound to McKean County Court at a hearing Wednesday before District Judge Dominic Cercone.

Marvin R. Baskerville, 52, of 2 Bushnell St., Apt. 217, is charged with false imprisonment and resisting arrest, second-degree misdemeanors; simple assault and two counts of disorderly conduct, third-degree misdemeanors; and summary counts of harassment and criminal mischief.

The criminal complaint states that on March 31, Bradford City Police responded to the High Rise Apartment building for a report of a domestic dispute. An officer had Baskerville go in the hallway so he could check on the welfare of a female, who told the officer that Baskerville assaulted her.

According to the complaint, while Baskerville was in the hall with the other officer, he became agitated and began to scream and pull away from the officer. He tried to put Baskerville in custody, then both officers had to use physical force to put Baskerville’s hand behind his back and place him in custody.

While officers had Baskerville up against the hallway wall with his face toward the wall, Baskerville pulled his head back and headbutted the drywall, breaking it, court records stated. Officers took Baskerville to the floor, where he pretended to have a seizure.

Police got Baskerville outside, where he allegedly tried to headbutt a patrol car, but he was taken to the ground again instead. More officers arrived and transported Baskerville to the police station.

The woman explained to police that during an argument, Baskerville grabbed her hair and face and covered her mouth so she could not yell, the complaint stated.

According to the complaint, the victim had a cut with blood on her right cheek, as well as scratching and bruising on her left shoulder, while an officer suffered from a sore right forearm as a result of restraining and escorting Baskerville.

Baskerville is incarcerated in McKean County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.