-Caveat Lector- conservativeinfo - Subscribe to the Conservative Information email list at http://conservativeinfo.listbot.com Abortion Practitioner Gets Prison Sentence for Extortion Source: Associated Press; May 24, 2001 Ocala, FL -- - An abortion practitioner convicted of trying to extort millions of dollars from Marion County, Florida, by falsely accusing an official of bomb threats received three years and 10 months in prison during a sentencing hearing Thursday. A jury in February found abortion practitioner James Scott Pendergraft, who once "bragged" of committing more abortions than anyone else in the U.S., guilty in federal court of attempted extortion, conspiracy and mail fraud. He also was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. His real estate adviser, Michael Spielvogel, was convicted of the same charges, plus lying to the FBI and filing a false statement. Spielvogel faced up to 40 years in prison during the sentencing hearing but received a three-year, five-month prison sentence, followed by three years of probation but was not fined. Prosecutors said the case was about extortion, not abortion. The defendants were accused of lying in affidavits in an effort to extort a big settlement from Marion County in exchange for dropping a lawsuit. The lawsuit claimed the county and the city of Ocala weren't allowing off-duty police officers to moonlight at Pendergraft's abortion facility. The prosecution's case centered on threats that Spielvogel claimed were made to him in a telephone call by county Commissioner Larry Cretul. According to Spielvogel, Cretul said it was not a matter of "if" but "when" Pendergraft's abortion facility would be bombed. Spielvogel admitted in court that he made up the remarks attributed to Cretul and that he faked a telephone conversation in front of Pendergraft so the abortion practitioner would think that Cretul had made the threats. At a meeting with a county attorney, Pendergraft also threatened to bankrupt the county by seeking $100 million in damages. His attorneys said the threat was rhetorical. The meeting was secretly taped by FBI agents. Pendergraft owns four other abortion facilities in Tampa, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. A staffer in Pendergraft's Ocala facility said he intended to keep his abortion facilities open even if he goes to prison. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
