A Calgary man has pleaded guilty to an extortion charge in Lethbridge.
Paul Ste Marie admits he tried to extort money from Pincher Creek businessman Richard Ramias in 2006.
Ste Marie was hired by formal Lethbridge mayoral candidate Mike Pierzchala to get back a 50-thousand dollars debt.
Pierzchala committed suicide shortly after admitting to investigators that he paid Ste Marie.
Ste Marie admits luring Ramias to a Calgary hotel, driving him outside the city, threatening him, and ordering him to pay back 120-thousand or face the consequences.
The Crown is asking for jail time but defence lawyer Balfour Der says incarceration is unnecessary.
"There's a lot more to the story than you might expect," says Der. "There will be some background information which will keep Ste Marie from going to jail for this charge."
Ramius was unavailable for comment on Monday.
