Crime & Safety

Burnsville Woman Convicted of Extortion, Threats

Deborah Mae Carlson, 49, could face over 30 years of incarceration.

One south metro woman could spend the rest of her life in federal prison for a series of threatening letters she sent in 2010. 

Wednesday afternoon, a federal court found 49-year-old Deborah Mae Carlson guilty of 12 counts of threatening communications.

Carlson was indicted on Nov. 22, 2011 after a lengthy investigation that involved the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and local police departments in Lakeville, Apple Valley, Savage, Shakopee and Eagan.

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Authorities say that Carlson sent threatening letters to two individuals.

On eight separate occasions between March and May of 2010 Carlson sent threatening letters to one of the victims, threatening to injure them. She also sent letters to various businesses in the victim's name, demanding money from a store manager of an Eagan Target, the manager of Valley Buick Pontiac GMC dealership in Apple Valley and Scott Lake Veterinary Center in Prior Lake.

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She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each threat count, as well as a total of 24 years for three charges of extortion.

Her sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.


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