Schemer tries to profit from lost cell phone, ends up in jail on extortion charge

Here’s an odd one from today’s Boise Police crime report: A 27-year-old Boise man is facing extortion charges after he found a woman’s lost phone over the weekend, then allegedly contacted her demanding payment or he’d sell it. The victim had lost her phone downtown on Saturday night; suspect Joshua G. Escoto allegedly contacted her last night about 11:30. The Boise Police reported, “After a detailed investigation, the suspect was arrested when the victim arranged to meet him to make the exchange.” In addition to theft by extortion, a felony, Escoto was booked into the Ada County Jail on an additional charge of carrying a concealed weapon without a license.