MISSOULA – A California man accused of threatening to inform
on a person if he wasn't paid money today admitted blackmail charges, U.S.
Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bryan Gregg Waterfield Nash, 56, of Woodside, CA, pleaded
guilty to blackmail. Nash faces a maximum one year in prison, a $100,000 fine
and one year of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided and
continued Nash's release pending further proceedings. Sentencing is set for August 7, 2020.
In documents filed in the case, the prosecution said that
the blackmail began in December 2013 and ran until about June 2019 in Whitefish
and in northern California. Nash knew the victim, identified as John Doe 1, for
many years. Beginning in about December 2013, Nash frequently communicated with
John Doe 1 in person and electronically and with his family, friends and
colleagues.
Many of Nash's communications demanded money from John Doe
1, and he also accused the victim of committing federal crimes. Nash alleged
the victim could be investigated by the IRS for tax fraud. In a text message
sent in April 2016, Nash told the victim: "This brings all your IRS stuff
to the public eye even more. This will be huge news. You were scamming the
IRS." During the same time period Nash was accusing the victim of breaking
federal law, he repeatedly asked for financial assistance.
When John Doe 1 stopped responding to communications from
Nash, Nash intensified communications with the victim's family, friends,
employees and privately-retained lawyers. Many of the messages referenced the
victim being investigated by the IRS or FBI, and Nash repeatedly asked to meet
with the victim's lawyers to "settle" with the victim. Nash's
requests to settle with the John Doe 1 were in consideration for not filing a civil
complaint against the victim or reporting his alleged criminal transgression to
law enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Racicot and Ryan Weldon are
prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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