Two accused of extortion scheme at SEKRI

A Laurel County grand jury has indicted two Corbin residents for allegedly trying to use company secrets to extort $30,000 from managers at Southeastern Kentucky Rehabilitation Industries (SEKRI).
Steve Riera and Penny Rasberry were indicted June 16 and both face first-degree unlawful access to a computer and attempted theft by extortion charges. The case was presented to the grand jury June 12.
According to court documents, Riera and Rasberry attempted to use a computer at one of the company’s Corbin facilities to gain access to “company secrets,” then threatened to disclose those secrets unless they were given $30,000.
Arraignment on the charges is set for July 24 in Laurel Circuit Court. Neither Riera nor Rasberry could be contacted for comment.
Detective Sgt. Russell Baker, Detective Sgt. Blaine Inman and Sgt. Joe Smith, all of the London City Police Department, investigated the case. Calls to Inman seeking comment on the case were not returned.