Tax investigator accused of extortion

An investigator with the Nevada Department of Taxation is accused of extortion by telling business owners they were in violation of liquor laws and demanding money.

The Nevada attorney general's office has charged 40-year-old Craig Scott Stevens of Carson City with eight criminal counts, including extortion, receiving a bribe, obtaining money under false pretenses and misconduct by a public officer.

He is accused of taking $5,000 from a business owner in Reno and $500 from one in Sparks after telling them that they had been fined by the state and should pay him the money.

The complaint said the business owners were not violating any laws.