Ryan Kleinert, 17, of New Jersey, and Lisa Lotts, 23, of Iowa, were arrested in Massachusetts this week and charged with stalking, criminal harassment, and attempted extortion of a manager for Marsh Insurance, Robert Harper Jr. According to media reports, Kleinert and Lotts are allegedly members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty and were among a number of activists who regularly protested at Harper\’s home.

A press release from the Massachusetts Attorney General\’s office said,

An investigation found that Kleinert and Lotts allegedly participated in activities including:

• Threatening to burn down the apartment building where the victim and others live
• Demanding that the victim quit his job if he wants to stop the threats
• Vandalizing the building where the victim lived with red paint
• Visiting the home at all hours of the day and night, screaming threats and demands, sometimes with a megaphone. Kleinert and Lotts allegedly called the victim a \”puppy killer\” and \”animal torturer\” and would make references to the victim\’s 2-year-old son.

Kleinert and Lotts also allegedly posted \”Wanted for Murder\” posters in Harper\’s neighborhood that featured his photo.

Obviously there are plenty of actionable crimes here assuming the state can prove its case, but the really interesting charge is the attempted extortion. Apparently the state is going to argue that since the alleged SHAC activists engaged in a pattern of harassment while promising said harassment would end only if Harper\’s company stopped doing business with Huntingdon Life Sciences, that this constitutes attempted extortion.

Sources:

Two Arraigned On Charges They Stalked And Harassed A Boston Family. The Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, Press Release, August 19, 2002.

Pro-animal duo busted in terror siege. Jessica Heslam, Boston Herald, August 20, 2002.

Animal activists charged with stalking. Joe Spurr, Boston Globe, August 20, 2002.