A 35-year-old convicted felon accused of extortion was arrested over the weekend after fleeing from Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies at a local Walmart.
On Friday, August 23, an MCSO deputy responded to a local residence in reference to an extortion incident. A female victim told the deputy that a man, identified as Joshua Comer, had sent her text messages requesting that she send him money, according to the arrest report.
The victim advised that she has a shared bank account with Comer. However, the report stated that she had transferred Comer’s paycheck to a separate account, which is in her name, in an effort to keep him from spending that money on drugs.
After the victim sent $50 to Comer to “keep him at bay,” he allegedly began asking for more money. When she refused to send the additional money, she claimed that Comer sent her two sexually explicit photos of herself along with a message stating, “Be a shame if these leaked somewhere,” according to the report.
On Sunday, August 25, the victim alleged that Comer sent a sexually explicit video of the victim to two of her friends via Facebook Messenger.
As the deputy conducted an investigation into the incident, the Levy County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and advised that Comer had allegedly robbed a gas station in Levy County. MCSO was informed that Comer may be heading into Marion County.
The report stated that while searching for Comer, MCSO deputies spotted his vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 11012 N Williams Street in Dunnellon. After entering the store, deputies observed Comer pushing a shopping cart in the produce section, according to the report.
When Comer spotted the deputies, he ran away before exiting the store via a side exit. Once outside, he let go of the shopping cart, which struck a nearby vehicle and caused approximately $500 worth of damage, according to the report.
The deputies caught up to Comer in the parking lot and detained him in handcuffs. The report stated that during a search of Comer, the deputies allegedly found a loaded revolver that had been reported as stolen, along with several live shotgun shells and two clear pipes that field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
After being read his Miranda rights, Comer allegedly admitted to hiding a shotgun in a bush located in the parking lot. According to the report, Comer led deputies to the bush in question, and the shotgun was recovered.
A criminal history search of Comer revealed that he is a convicted felon.
Comer was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on a $72,500 bond. He is being charged with extortion, sexual cyber harassment, resisting an officer without violence, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, criminal mischief with damages of over $200 but under $1,000, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon – unlicensed firearm, and battery on a law enforcement officer.
On Tuesday, September 24, Comer is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m., according to jail records.