Arizona man charged in scheme targeting sex offenders
Three people have been charged with fraud in Arizona in what prosecutors say was a harassment scheme to get payments from sex offenders in exchange for removing their names from a website
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Three people have been charged with fraud in Arizona in what prosecutors say was a harassment scheme to get payments from sex offenders in exchange for removing their names from a website.
In an indictment released Thursday, Charles Rodrick of Scottsdale and Brent Oesterblad are accused of obtaining information from the National Predator Database’s site and posting it on a site created by Rodrick.
Prosecutors say Rodrick, Oesterblad and Sarah Shea then received money for removing the names from Rodrick’s site but failed to do so or republished the victims’ profiles on other sites owned by Rodrick. They also said the trio harassed others whose names weren’t listed in the National Predator Database by posting fraudulent sex offender profiles on Rodrick’s websites.
Rodrick, 60, was taken into custody Tuesday at Sky Harbor International Airport as he was returning from Costa Rica
At Rodrick’s first court hearing, prosecutor Nicole Shaker said Rodrick has a separate $3 million civil judgment against him in Maricopa County for the victims in the criminal case, yet he hasn’t paid them anything. Shaker said Rodrick uses limited liability corporations and girlfriends to hide his assets.
At the hearing, Rodrick said the FBI had tried to build a federal case against him several years ago, but the case was turned down by a federal grand jury. “For this to surface now in 2021 is a shock to me,” Rodrick said.
Shaker disputed that the current case went before a federal grand jury.
Bond was set at $30,000 for Rodrick, who also was ordered to wear an ankle monitor when outside of jail.
Messages left Thursday for Rodrick’s attorney, Kristopher Califano, weren’t immediately returned.
It’s unclear whether Oesterblad and Shea have attorneys who can comment on their clients’ behalf.
Although Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office released the indictment, the court file itself wasn’t publicly available at midday Thursday. Oesterblad and Shea didn’t have listed phone numbers.