Police: 'Pacman' Jones paid Renton man "extortion" money

LAS VEGAS — Suspended Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones paid "extortion" money to a 29-year-old Renton man who was arrested on suspicion of a Las Vegas strip-club shooting that left a club employee paralyzed, police said.

Arvin Kenti Edwards allegedly used go-betweens to contact Jones, who paid $15,000 in two installments after the shooting, according to a police report obtained Monday.

"He paid $15,000 to his friends, who advised him that if he didn't pay the money then this guy would come after him," said Robert Langford, Jones' lawyer in Las Vegas.

Jones, 24, went to Seattle on Friday and picked Edwards from a police lineup, Langford said. He said Jones identified Edwards as the man who opened fire with a handgun Feb. 19, 2007, outside the Las Vegas strip club.

Police have not provided details of the investigation that led to Edwards' arrest Friday on three counts of attempted murder with a weapon and three counts of battery with substantial bodily harm, all felonies. He was not sought on an extortion charge.

Throughout the warrant declaration, police repeatedly refer to extortion and "extortion monies," and say Jones told investigators he withdrew $10,000 from a bank account in Atlanta to pay his friend "for paying the extortion money in his behalf."

Edwards was being held on unrelated charges at the Yakima County Correctional Facility, pending a Wednesday extradition hearing.

Las Vegas police said Jones met briefly with Edwards after a brawl led Jones and his entourage to be ejected from the Minxx strip club.

The two men parted, according to witnesses, and shots were fired moments later toward the club.

About a week later, someone began contacting Jones by telephone seeking money for "services rendered," according to the police report filed to obtain Edwards' arrest warrant.

Police alleged in the documents that one of the go-betweens told Jones that if he refused to pay, the accused shooter would "go after Jones, his mother and daughter."

A childhood friend also contacted Jones, urging him to pay the money, the documents said.

In April and early May 2007, Jones had a friend wire $3,800 to a woman in Seattle, according to police.

Jones put up $11,200 more for a friend in Atlanta to pay "in his behalf," police said.