Man who extorted X.U. tells judge, “we all make mistakes”

According to the Enquirer, Miller Beckham III, 33, of Springfield Township, recently released from prison, is on his way back to serve 2 years for trying to extort $20,000 from Xavier University. Xavier officials said medical histories of student athletes and their families were stolen from the car of a coach, and they wound up in Beckham’s possession. He then used his own cell phone to call X.U. officials demanded $20,000 in exchange for the return of the documents. Cleverly, X.U. officials asked for proof of what Beckham had, so he personally dropped off some documents at the office of the Xavier president.

After contacting police about the extortion, Xavier officials set up a meeting with Beckham, and he arrested. He pled guilty, and Tuesday, Judge Robert Ruehlman said to Beckham, “I’ll tell you frankly, you’re not a good criminal…you don’t do very well.” Beckham told the judge, "I don't claim to be a clever criminal (and) I don't define myself as being criminal. We're all fallible human beings and we all make mistakes.” Indeed, but most of us don’t…oh, never mind.