Four Individuals Indicted for Conspiring to Collect a Debt Using Extortionate Means

BOSTON, MA—Four individuals were indicted today on charges relating to a conspiracy to collect a debt using extortionate means.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Police Commissioner Edward Davis of the Boston Police Department announced that a four-count Indictment was returned today charging MICHAEL LEE, a/k/a “Josh Wingenheimer,” age 27, of Dorchester, MA; DAVID GEFKE, age 48, of South Boston, MA; BRANDON MILBY, age 42, of Dorchester, MA; and PATRICK DEHERTOGH, age 48, of South Boston, MA, with one count of conspiracy to collect a debt using extortionate means and one count of collecting a debt using extortionate means. LEE and GEFKE were each charged with an additional count of conspiracy to collect a debt using extortionate means and collecting a debt using extortionate means.

As charged in the indictment, from on or about January 1, 2010, through on or about February 9, 2010, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to collect money owed to defendant DAVID GEFKE.

Defendants LEE and GEFKE were arrested on February 5, 2010, and defendants MILBY and DEHERTOGH were arrested on February 9, 2010. All four defendants had their initial appearance and detention hearings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hillman. If convicted, all four defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each count.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Boston Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan in the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit.

The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.