A man charged in connection with an escort services scam was released on bail in Red Deer provincial court on Friday.
Florian Edward Poitra, 31, of no fixed address, was released on $2,000 cash bail. His release conditions include weekly reporting to police and a curfew.
In June, Red Deer City RCMP allege that two men and one woman set up a scam in which men using the Internet to hire escort services were subsequently robbed of cash and credit cards. Investigators further allege that one victim was kidnapped and held for a period of time before escaping and contacting police for help.
All three suspects were arrested in Kamloops, B.C., and face a variety of charges including kidnapping, extortion with a weapon, armed robbery, unlawful confinement, uttering threats and various weapons offences.
Poitra faces charges along with Red Deer resident Lindsey Rae Mazzei, 30, and Mark William Bitterman, 33, of no fixed address.