Nov 17, 2014 2 min read

An Ohio man who extorted more than $1 million from a woman later convicted of embezzling money from Bethany College, where she worked, will spend more than five years in a federal prison.

Jason K. Weese, 31, of East Liverpool, was sentenced Friday to 63 months in prison by U.S. District Judge William Ihlenfeld II after pleading guilty in June to extortion conspiracy and aiding and abetting money laundering, according to federal prosecutors.

Weese also must pay $1.037 million in restitution and forfeit $700,000 following his guilty plea in the federal court’s Northern District of West Virginia in Wheeling.

Federal prosecutors said Weese exchanged sexually explicit photos and text messages with Shelly Lough, and then blackmailed her into stealing more money from Bethany College, where she worked as a cashier. Weese and his wife, Rachaelle, continued to blackmail Lough and threatened to expose her thefts and photos if she did not send them more money, investigators said.

Rachaelle Weese pleaded guilty to extortion conspiracy, although her sentencing date has not been set. In addition to money, the Weeses also must relinquish two cars, an all-terrain vehicle and lawnmower.

Lough pleaded guilty to embezzlement and conspiracy in Brooke County Court earlier this year.

Bethany College, which is in Brooke County about 16 miles west of Washington, sued the U.S. government in federal court last month for money seized in the investigation. The college claimed that about $262,000 in cash forfeited to U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency should be handed over to the college.

College spokeswoman Rebecca Rose could not be reached for comment, and it was not known if the $1.037 million in restitution from the Weeses would immediately be given back to the private liberal arts school.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.