A New Kensington man is accused of trying to extort $35,000 from the Butler County company where he worked by threatening to report alleged workplace violations to federal inspectors and union officials.
Saxonburg police charged Ramon Presco Livingston, 43, of Fifth Avenue, New Kensington, with two counts of felony attempted criminal theft by extortion after a lawyer for Du-Co Ceramics called them about an email message sent by Livingston to a company vice president, according to a criminal complaint.
In the email turned over to police, Livingston said he had evidence of multiple violations of Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) as well as National Electrical Code regulations, including “pictures and printed emails to back some,” the complaint said.
Livingston also wrote in the email that “$35K (is) much lower than if I call the union and OSHA and start pointing out how much disregard to human life there is at the Du-Co Saxonburg facility.”
He ended the email with: “Move quick I’m itching to call these people. Shut me up!” according to his arrest papers.
When police left a telephone message for Livingston to call them, he responded with a message telling them that he already returned in his keys and company credit card by mail, the complaint said.
Police said they eventually spoke to Livingston and informed him that they were investigating the email he sent to the company.
Livingston told them it was meant as a joke.
The extortion charges were filed after police conferred with the Butler County District Attorney’s Office, according to the complaint.
Investigators noted that an inspection was conducted at the plant along Rebecca Street by OSHA on Feb. 8.
A search of OSHA records from February 2007 to February 2022 shows no violations for Du-Co.
Livingston was released from the Butler County jail on Feb. 16 after posting a $50,000 unsecured bond, according to court records. He faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Sue Haggerty on March 2.
