Former state food and safety inspector indicted on charge of theft by extortion

A former state food and safety inspector is accused of extorting money from a Warner Robins convenience store clerk.

Antonio Levashea Little, 39, was indicted Tuesday by Houston County grand jury on a charge of theft by extortion.

Little allegedly threatened Surehka Patel, of Rocky’s Quick Stop on Elberta Road in Warner Robins, that he would shut down the store if he did not give him money, according to the indictment. The Georgia Department of Agriculture conducts inspections of retail stores, including convenience stores.

Little was fired from his job as a food and safety inspector for the state agency Jan. 4 following an internal investigation into a complaint against him, said Julie McPeake, agency spokeswoman.

The investigation was initiated after a tip to the agency’s tip line about about the Dec. 22 incident involving Patel, McPeake said.

The amount allegedly extorted was $300, McPeake said.

The indictment listed both a Warner Robins and Fort Valley address for Little, who was not reached for comment.

Little was accused of assaulting a woman with a beer bottle at the former Capt. Jack’s Crab Shack at 1229 Russell Parkway July 1, 2009, and was charged with aggravated assault, Houston County court records show. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of simple assault, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to 12 months probation in 2010.

This story was originally published March 8, 2017 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Former state food and safety inspector indicted on charge of theft by extortion."