Blackmail from behind bars: Incarcerated brother won’t stop sending threatening letters

NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Ron Warren is tired of receiving death threats from one of his brothers serving time at the Pendleton Correctional Facility.

Warren reached out to Call Rafael after claiming he was unable to stop the threatening letters and calls.

“It’s about money,” Warren said.

Since January, Warren has received multiple letters from the Madison County prison. He has two brothers currently serving time in Pendleton: 64-year-old Harold, convicted for murder, and 60-year-old Larry, convicted for child Molesting and solicitation.

The threatening letters have been coming from Larry. 

Warren read a portion of one of the letters postmarked May 20.

“Send me and (Ray) $150 a month until it is no longer needed and I will tell you when that time comes. If you choose not to, your world as you know it will end.”

Initial letters from Larry asked for money to buy items from the prison commissary. Then they took a violent turn.

“They tell me they will have people come to my home, and they think I have money. That’s not true. I’m very scared,” Warren said.

The Indiana Department of Correction is willing to assist Warren, but said it has no record of him reaching out directly to them for help.

“Requests for money are not prohibited unless the individual is soliciting from unknown parties. Staff do review all correspondence for threats to public safety. Incarcerated individuals can face discipline for violating the correspondence policy. However, in order to preserve incarcerated individuals’ First Amendment rights, correspondence is rarely stopped,” explained Annie Goeller, chief communication officer for the Department of Correction.

Goeller said if a person no longer wants to be solicited by a known inmate, they can make that request to the facility’s investigations staff.

To file a complaint asking for an investigation of an inmate, you can connect with the DOC Investigations and Intelligence Division by submitting this form.

This is the link that details how staff review outgoing mail.

The most recent letter received by Warren even included a stamped return envelope, making clear that the request was a demand.

“I want them to stop. I want nothing to do with extorting,” Warren said. “I’m into living life and not looking behind my shoulder and wondering if someone is going to kill me today.”