Today, two Punta Gorda police officers were taken to court and criminally charged for extortion. On Tuesday a Toledo school principal was driving in PG when she she was stopped at a checkpoint by WPC Jenny Tanner. Tanner informed the principal that the insurance on her vehicle had expired two days earlier, and told her that she would be arrested and charged. Tanner and another officer at the checkpoint, PC Arden Jones, then took her to the Punta Gorda Police Station, where they told her that she had committed a serious offense and that her car would be impounded and driver's license revoked.
That's when Jones allegedly suggested that the principal settle the matter with he and Tanner. Jones asked her how much she was willing to pay, and after she proposed $300, Jones allowed her to leave to withdraw the money from the bank. She returned with $400 and handed it over, and then was allowed to leave. After the incident, the principal immediately reported what had happened to the Toledo OC, ASP Clement Cacho, who moved quickly to retrieve the money from Jones.
In court today, both officers pled not guilty and were offered $3,000 bail, and are expected to face disciplinary chargers from the professional standards branch as well.
Now, if the name Jenny Tanner sounds family to you, it's because this is the second time she's made the news for extortion. In 2012, Tanner - who is a PG native - was charged after she allegedly stopped a Canadian tourist for driving an overcrowded golf cart in Caye Caulker. When he didn't have a driver's license to show her, Tanner allegedly demanded that he give her $100 and buy her two margaritas.
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