COEUR d'ALENE - A 62-year-old Post Falls man was sentenced last week to serve 20 years in prison for two counts of attempted grand theft by extortion.

Larry Alan Taylor entered guilty pleas to the charges on Oct. 20.

Taylor was sentenced by 1st District Judge John Mitchell. Taylor was ordered to serve the first four years fixed, with six indeterminate on one of the charges and 10 years indeterminate on the other charge with no fixed term. The sentences will be served consecutively for a total of four years fixed and 16 indeterminate.

The charges related to phone calls made by Taylor to his daughter, threatening to kill his ex-wife, the daughter's mother. Taylor threatened to kill his ex-wife if the ex-wife didn't give him $25,000 for back surgery.

A Post Falls Police detective made a ruse phone call and recorded further demands and threats against Taylor's ex-wife. Taylor continued to assert after pleading guilty that he would not hurt anyone.

In determining that a sentence of imprisonment was appropriate, Mitchell described Taylor as a psychopath.

Taylor had prior convictions for two counts of misdemeanor theft, felony eluding an officer, misdemeanor malicious injury to property, felony possession of a controlled substance and felony possession of a controlled substance with the intent to manufacture/deliver.

Taylor has been booked into the Kootenai County jail 30 times since 1995.

Prosecuting Attorney Barry McHugh praised the work of the Post Falls Police Department, which investigated the allegations, and Deputy Prosecutor Jed Whitaker, who prosecuted the case.

"Mr. Taylor's blame-shifting in relation to the charges, his significant criminal history and inability to avoid criminal conduct gave Judge Mitchell little choice but to sentence him to prison," McHugh said.

"Although based on current information it seems unlikely, Mr. Taylor has an opportunity in six years to convince the parole board that he can live in the community without committing more crimes. Between now and then he will have the opportunity to obtain treatment to change the thought processes that brought him before the court."