Dec 14, 2012 2 min read

A Meadow Lands man accused of trying to extort $100,000 from Washington Crown Center after a woman and a small child walked in on him while he was pantless in a mall bathroom was arraigned Friday on charges related to the alleged scheme.

Kenneth R. Whitaker, 42, of 538 Pike St., is charged with attempted theft by deception, attempted theft by extortion, criminal solicitation of theft by extortion, filing a fraudulent insurance claim, criminal solicitation of theft by deception and insurance fraud, court records show. He was arraigned Friday before District Judge Robert Redlinger and released on $25,000 percentage bond.

According to the affidavit filed by North Franklin Township police, Whitaker met with the mall’s insurance claims adjuster and demanded $100,000 compensation after he was seen pantless Nov. 8 in a mall bathroom that did not have a properly locking door.

The charges arose after police met with mall management and interviewed a witness who said he was approached by Whitaker in June 2011 regarding a plan to put himself in an unflattering position in a nonlocking bathroom in order to make a claim against the North Franklin mall. Whitaker reportedly offered to split the compensation with the witness if he took part in the scheme, but the man told police he declined to participate.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Thursday before Redlinger.