Second extortion defendant takes plea deal

A woman accused of demanding $3,000 from a co-worker in return for keeping quiet about her relationship with a man other than her husband was immediately sentenced to 60 days in jail after pleading no contest to attempted extortion.

Elizabeth Renteria, 24, must also spend three years on supervised probation. Renteria’s plea bargain is similar to that accepted by girlfriend and co-defendant Iris Castrejon, 22, who pleaded no contest to the same felony for 90 days jail and three years supervised probation.

Castrejon’s brother, Edwin, 19, has pleaded not guilty to the same charge and is set for jury trial Nov. 26.

South San Francisco police arrested the three defendants Sept. 12 after the three appeared at South San Francisco church where they believed the requested money was to be left. The previous day, a woman who works with Renteria found a typed letter on her car outside her Hayward home. The letter reportedly threatened to expose the woman’s relationship with another man if she did not leave $3,000 at a designated church.

The woman told police she believed the culprit was her co-worker who knew about the relationship and who she thought harbored some infatuation toward her. The police left an envelope of blank paper at the pre-arranged location and arrested the three at the scene.

Edwin Castrejon remains in custody in lieu of $50,000 bail.