A Prince George's County employee was arrested on extortion charges Thursday following an undercover operation.
John Cleveland Brown, 52, is a building inspector at the Department of Environmental Resources.
The owner of Levi's Restaurant in Clinton says Brown demanded that he pay Brown's band $1,000 to perform at the restaurant. When the owner refused, Brown threatened repeatedly to cancel the owner's permits, authorities say.
The restaurant owner contacted Prince George's County Police after several months of the threats, authorities say.
That's when detectives set up a sting. An officer posed as the restaurant's entertainment manager. Brown met with him Thursday and demanded money, leading to his arrest, police say.
Brown has been charged with extortion and harassment.
