Fed charges filed in Betras bomb scare

YOUNGSTOWN — A Burghill man now jailed under $2 million bond on state charges in the Oct. 16 bomb scare at the Canfield law office of David Betras has been federally charged with mailing three threatening letters to Betras.

The charge of extortion with threat of death via the U.S. mail was filed Tuesday in federal court in Youngstown against Charles J. Reighard, 67, of state Route 7, a former Betras client.

The FBI affidavit accompanying the complaint says the letters demanded money in exchange for not killing Betras and his family, with one of the letters demanding $4 million.

Betras arrived to find a broken second-floor window at his law office. Beneath it was a pipe bomb minus the explosive.

Judge Scott Hunter of Canfield Court set the $2 million bond last week at Reighard’s initial appearance on the state charges of extortion, retaliation, inducing panic and vandalism.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com