MAN WHO EXTORTED A&M PROFESSOR TO BE SENTENCED

  

The man convicted of blackmailing a Texas A&M professor will be in federal court in Houston today (Tuesday) to be sentenced for that crime.  Ed Pothul has this report.

Daniel Duplaisir of Louisiana, pled guilty to one count of extortion in June.

Duplaisir admitted to posing as a 16-year old girl while engaging in an explicit online relationship with Texas A&M Communications professor James Aune.  Duplaisir also pretended to be the girl’s angry father, who threatened to expose Aune if he didn’t pay $5000 in hush money.

Aune paid Duplaisir $1500 then committed suicide by jumping from the roof of a parking garage on campus.

The professor’s widow, Miriam, says she’s seeing this trial through to the end in her husband’s honor.

Duplaisir could be sentenced up to two years in prison for his crime.