An Alexandrian man is accused of threatening to blow up a payday loan business if he does not get $ 10,000.

Daniel Dewayne Aikens, 37, has been indicted by a federal extortion court. He was arrested last week during a traffic stop. He will remain in jail until his detention hearing is set at the end of the month. Aikens was removed from his post as an officer in the Louisiana National Guard shortly after his arrest.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Aikens contacted a PayDay Today employee demanding $ 10,000 in cash. He first told the employee about a set of lost keys. While the employee was in the parking lot looking for the keys, a device exploded in a trash can near the building. The affidavit states that Aikens told the employee he caused the explosion and demanded $ 10,000 in cash.

“The accused is accused of attempting to extort money from his victims by using an explosive device,” said US prosecutor David Joseph. “The US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners take the illegal use of explosive devices very seriously because of the terrible damage they can inflict. I would like to thank the FBI, ATF and the US Marshal’s Service, as well as our state and local partners, for their immediate response to the scene as well as their transparent coordination to keep the citizens of Alexandria safe.

If convicted of extortion, Aikens faces up to 20 years in prison, three years on probation and a fine of $ 250,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Alexandria Police Department, US Marshal’s Service, Louisiana State Police and Alexandria Fire Department investigated the case, with assistance from Security public of Alexandria. Commissioner and Town Hall of the City of Alexandria. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is pursuing the case.