COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A man involved in an alleged extortion case was sentenced on Monday in Branch County Circuit Court after entering a guilty plea to a charge of accosting children for immoral purposes. 69-year-old Gene Matthew Keith entered into a plea agreement on March 7 with prosecutors. Four other charges were dismissed by prosecutors in exchange for the guilty plea. Keith was given a nine month jail sentence with credit for 132 days. He was also placed on probation for five years.
Keith and another Bethel Township man, 44-year-old David Green, were accused of taking nude photos of a girl who told detectives Keith offered her the pictures in exchange for money.
Authorities also say the girls mother, 43-year-old Diana Rodriguez. tried to extort $5,000 each from Green and Keith for not telling police about the alleged sexual assaults. Investigators don’t think any money exchanged hands.
Rodriguez was eventually charged with two counts of extortion.
