2 Who Sent ‘Pay-or-Die’ Letters Found Guilty

Two former aerospace technicians were convicted Monday of mailing extortion letters demanding millions of dollars from hundreds of prominent Antelope Valley residents.

Richard Faroni, 27, and Roman Makuch, 28, described during the trial as bright loners with a penchant for electronics, guns and cloak-and-dagger schemes, face up to eight years in prison for conspiracy, attempted extortion and mailing threatening letters. San Fernando Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen set sentencing for Feb. 21.

The verdict came 14 months after the mailing of at least 267 “pay-or-die” letters to professionals, business people and political leaders created a mystery strange enough to attract tabloid television programs, including “Unsolved Mysteries.” The letters, which were strewn with profanity, threatened the lives of the recipients and their families, providing personal details that indicated the victims may have been watched.