A 21-year-old Colorado man is facing a felony blackmail charge in Albany County, Wyoming, after investigators say he threatened to drill out a former business partner's kneecaps and invoked thermite, a substance that can reach temperatures hot enough to melt steel, unless the man paid him what he believed he was owed from a soured buyout.
Kadin Carlton Rodriguez, who lists a residential address in Arvada, Colorado, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to Cowboy State Daily. The charge was filed in Albany County Circuit Court on November 10, and Judge Robert Sanford set Rodriguez's bond at $25,000 cash. Prosecutor Ty J. Peterson is handling the case.
Under Wyoming law, blackmail is defined as threatening bodily injury or injury to property in order to obtain another person's property or to force them to act against their will, the outlet reports. The statute also covers threats to accuse someone of criminal or immoral conduct that could disgrace them, while a more serious charge of aggravated blackmail causing bodily injury carries a penalty of five to 25 years in prison.
A Buyout Dispute Turns Threatening
The allegations stem from the dissolution of a business arrangement involving Management Capital LLC, described as a parent or holding company, along with True West Vending LLC and its trade name, True West Auto Sales. Rodriguez reportedly claimed he was owed a 10% buyout from the arrangement, per the same outlet's reporting.
Investigators say the threats escalated on November 1, when Rodriguez allegedly sent a message reading “I warned you,” followed by the line “thermite is very unforgiving.” He also reportedly sent a message stating, “well see who touches who first.” By November 6, Rodriguez allegedly told his former business partner he would have his kneecaps drilled out unless he paid, the report notes.
Rodriguez allegedly demanded his money within 10 days and warned the man would face irreversible repercussions if he did not cooperate. Investigators also documented sexually degrading messages directed at the former business partner and said Rodriguez allegedly contacted the man's wife as part of the pressure campaign.
Health Threat Raises Unanswered Questions
Among the more unsettling details in the case, investigators say Rodriguez referenced his former business partner's heart condition and a bare metal stent, writing that he knew stress affected the man's heart. The affidavit, however, does not explain how Rodriguez allegedly knew about the medical condition, nor does it establish whether that condition was connected to the underlying business dispute.
The affidavit also does not state whether Rodriguez traveled to Wyoming, attempted to carry out any of the threats, or ever received money from his former partner. It does not identify anyone else as allegedly involved in making the threats. Investigators traced the messages to a phone number with a Colorado Springs area code, and noted that Rodriguez renewed his Colorado driver's license less than two weeks before the first documented threats, listing the Arvada address.
What Happens Next
Rodriguez is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing unless he waives his right to one. At that hearing, a judge will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to establish probable cause for the case to proceed.
Albany County has seen at least one other blackmail prosecution in recent memory. Corey Connors pleaded not guilty to felony blackmail and felony attempted blackmail charges, according to Wyoming News. An affidavit in that case said Connors placed 131 calls to the complainant between March 13 and 22, including 28 conversations and 10 voicemails, and he could face up to 24 years in prison and $6,000 in fines if convicted on all counts. The two cases are separate and do not establish a broader pattern of blackmail prosecutions in the county.
