FORD
10-30-2007, 07:10 PM
Documents: Man tried to extort Wash. lawmaker
http://media.komotv.com/images/071030_Richard_Curtis.jpg
Rep. Richard Curtis is seen in this file photo.
Story Published: Oct 30, 2007 at 2:24 PM PDT
By Associated Press
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A Republican state legislator from southwest Washington had sex with a man he met at an erotic video store and then was the target of an extortion attempt, according to police documents released Tuesday.
State Rep. Richard Curtis, R-La Center, who on Monday vehemently denied he was gay, was the victim of the reported extortion attempt by Cody Castagna, a man he brought to the posh Davenport Tower hotel on Oct. 26, according to search warrant documents.
Castagna told police that Curtis agreed to pay him $1,000 for sex and also said Curtis purchased two gay pornographic films from the hotel for them to watch in his room.
Numerous efforts to reach Curtis on Tuesday were not immediately successful.
Curtis was among state GOP lawmakers who were in Spokane last Wednesday through Friday for a retreat to discuss the upcoming legislative session. He went to the Hollywood Erotic Boutique in Spokane on Oct. 26 and met Castagna, who accompanied him back to the hotel, the documents said.
The two arrived at the hotel around 3:34 a.m. and engaged in sexual activities, after which Curtis fell asleep, the documents said.
Castagna then allegedly took Curtis' wallet and later offered to return it for $1,000, the documents said. Curtis said he only had $200 and left an envelope with the money at the hotel desk, the documents said.
Castagna told police that Curtis gave him his wallet to hold as collateral for the remainder of the $1,000 dollars.
"Cody Castagna admitted threatening to publicly expose Richard Curtis' gay lifestyle to his wife unless Richard Curtis provided the disputed money," the documents said.
Castagna called Curtis back and demanded $800. But Curtis had already contacted Spokane police, and a detective was present when Castagna called, the documents said.
In his only public comments about the incident, Curtis told The Columbian newspaper of Vancouver, Wash., that he did not solicit anyone for sex and was not gay.
"I committed no crime," Curtis told the newspaper in Tuesday's editions. "I did not solicit sex. I was trying to help somebody out."
Curtis, a former firefighter, declared, "I am not gay. I have not had sex with a guy."
Police spokeswoman Jennifer DeRuwe said the evidence found by police would be given to the Spokane County prosecutor, who will decide if criminal charges are warranted.
There have been no arrests, she said.
State Republican leaders have declined to comment, saying they had no information about what happened.
Curtis was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2004, representing a portion of southwestern Washington.
His voting patterns suggest he is a fiscal and social conservative, and he has opposed gay rights legislation. He is a member of the state gambling commission and has criticized gambling. He has opposed using state dollars to provide health care for children of illegal immigrants.
His online biography said he owns a business that "provides instruction for advanced cardiac life support" at a Vancouver hospital.
The biography said he is an Air Force veteran and refers to him as a husband, father and former La Center City Councilman. He is from New Mexico and moved to Washington 11 years ago.
Find this article at:
http://www.komotv.com/news/10895226.html
http://media.komotv.com/images/071030_Richard_Curtis.jpg
Rep. Richard Curtis is seen in this file photo.
Story Published: Oct 30, 2007 at 2:24 PM PDT
By Associated Press
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A Republican state legislator from southwest Washington had sex with a man he met at an erotic video store and then was the target of an extortion attempt, according to police documents released Tuesday.
State Rep. Richard Curtis, R-La Center, who on Monday vehemently denied he was gay, was the victim of the reported extortion attempt by Cody Castagna, a man he brought to the posh Davenport Tower hotel on Oct. 26, according to search warrant documents.
Castagna told police that Curtis agreed to pay him $1,000 for sex and also said Curtis purchased two gay pornographic films from the hotel for them to watch in his room.
Numerous efforts to reach Curtis on Tuesday were not immediately successful.
Curtis was among state GOP lawmakers who were in Spokane last Wednesday through Friday for a retreat to discuss the upcoming legislative session. He went to the Hollywood Erotic Boutique in Spokane on Oct. 26 and met Castagna, who accompanied him back to the hotel, the documents said.
The two arrived at the hotel around 3:34 a.m. and engaged in sexual activities, after which Curtis fell asleep, the documents said.
Castagna then allegedly took Curtis' wallet and later offered to return it for $1,000, the documents said. Curtis said he only had $200 and left an envelope with the money at the hotel desk, the documents said.
Castagna told police that Curtis gave him his wallet to hold as collateral for the remainder of the $1,000 dollars.
"Cody Castagna admitted threatening to publicly expose Richard Curtis' gay lifestyle to his wife unless Richard Curtis provided the disputed money," the documents said.
Castagna called Curtis back and demanded $800. But Curtis had already contacted Spokane police, and a detective was present when Castagna called, the documents said.
In his only public comments about the incident, Curtis told The Columbian newspaper of Vancouver, Wash., that he did not solicit anyone for sex and was not gay.
"I committed no crime," Curtis told the newspaper in Tuesday's editions. "I did not solicit sex. I was trying to help somebody out."
Curtis, a former firefighter, declared, "I am not gay. I have not had sex with a guy."
Police spokeswoman Jennifer DeRuwe said the evidence found by police would be given to the Spokane County prosecutor, who will decide if criminal charges are warranted.
There have been no arrests, she said.
State Republican leaders have declined to comment, saying they had no information about what happened.
Curtis was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2004, representing a portion of southwestern Washington.
His voting patterns suggest he is a fiscal and social conservative, and he has opposed gay rights legislation. He is a member of the state gambling commission and has criticized gambling. He has opposed using state dollars to provide health care for children of illegal immigrants.
His online biography said he owns a business that "provides instruction for advanced cardiac life support" at a Vancouver hospital.
The biography said he is an Air Force veteran and refers to him as a husband, father and former La Center City Councilman. He is from New Mexico and moved to Washington 11 years ago.
Find this article at:
http://www.komotv.com/news/10895226.html