Clarence 'Shahid' Freeman: DOT's Success Academy director accused of extortion

An at-risk youth program director is behind bars and facing extortion charges.

Clarence 'Shahid' Freeman is currently being held on $10,000 bond.

Police arrested Freeman Tuesday night.

He's accused of using a letter to claim Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Wayne Gent had sex with district employees.

Police have recordings of Freeman saying that the whole thing could go away for $895,000.

According to a probable cause affidavit the money would be used to pay a school employee facing disciplinary charges and, "It takes care of everybody, absolutely."

Freeman also wanted a Saturday morning reading program instituted in several schools and a specific charter school moved to a different location because there would be higher enrollment, the affidavit states.

"Letters were received into the district office, and that is how we became aware of what was occurring. At that time the superintendent and I made the decision to contact the state attorney's office to have them help up with this investigation, and actually they did the whole investigation," said Palm Beach County School District Police Chief Lawrence J. Leon.

Freeman, who is 61-years-old, is currently a director at DOT's Success Academy.