Trial delayed for couple accused of Extortion

Miriam Claire Shultz

Everett Leon Stout

 Two people charged with attempting to extort more than $1 million from Oxford businesses in August are  set to go on trial Oct. 24^th in Calhoun County.

The trial was scheduled to begin Friday, but due to a scheduling conflict with the prosecutor, Calhoun County District Judge Chris McIntyre moved the trial to Oct. 24th.

67 year old Miriam Claire Shultz,  was arrested Sept. 3 in Scottsboro. Shultz’s common-law husband, 72 year old Everett Leon Stout, was arrested Aug. 28. Both are charged with attempted theft of property, one count of first-degree extortion and 13 counts of attempted extortion.

Both are members of the sovereign citizens movement, Oxford police Chief Bill Partridge told The Star in September.. Police described the movement as anti-government, in which members file erroneous court documents and claim that many U.S. laws do not apply to them.

Stout and Shultz attempted to buy a $300,000 recreational vehicle from Dandy RV in Oxford by paying with a fraudulent check.

The couple also filed fictitious liens against 13 other local businesses and demanded money in exchange for dropping those liens.   In total, the couple tried to extort $1.6 million from those businesses.

Stout and Shultz were being held in the Calhoun County Jail on Friday. Bond for each was set at $15,000