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the act or practice of extorting especially money or other property; especially :the offense committed by an official engaging in such practice.

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Montia Sabbag's attorney Lisa Bloom tells PEOPLE she has been in contact with Kevin Hart's lawyer in the midst of the actor's sex extortion scandal involving her client.

Bloom confirms she has spoken with the actor's attorney and they are on cooperative terms, but Sabbag and Hart have not had direct contact since the extortion news broke.

"Right after the weekend in Las Vegas I think they had some contact, but since the extortionist came out with these images, it's all been through attorneys," Bloom says. "I've spoken to Kevin's attorney and established a friendly relationship. We're on the same side, he agrees, and there doesn't need to be any hostility or animosity. Let's just catch the criminal who did this."

Sabbag and Hart were secretly videotaped getting intimate in August at a Las Vegas hotel room. Hart later came clean about the incident and apologized to his 8-months pregnant wife Eniko Parrish as he emotionally revealed that someone was using the tapes and images to allegedly extort money from him.

Bloom tells PEOPLE both she and Sabbag provided law enforcement with "theories" on who they think the extortionist might be during a three-hour meeting Monday, but declined to name them. She did specify that Sabbag named every person she could remember being with her and the actor in the hotel room.
WATCH: Woman Filmed in Tryst with Kevin Hart Says She's a Victim Too - and Denies Being Part of Extortion Plot
Investigators at the meeting also asked Bloom and her client to keep the topics discussed confidential, but the lawyer says Sabbag is not being treated as a suspect and she answered every question asked.

"They clearly are treating her as a crime victim and not as a suspect, which is appropriate," Bloom says. "They are also taking the case very seriously - they were very respectful to us and we were very respectful to them."

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE.

Hart and Parrish have kept a united front since the scandal broke out two weeks ago. The couple celebrated the impending arrival of their baby boy - their first child together - with a jungle-themed baby shower over the weekend. 33-year-old Parrish used a sweet Instagram filter to reveal the name of the little one: Kenzo.

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Montia Sabbag Is Working with Kevin Hart and Police to Find Suspect in Sex Extortion Case, Says Her Lawyer

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Montia Sabbag's attorney Lisa Bloom tells PEOPLE she has been in contact with Kevin Hart's lawyer in the midst of the actor's sex extortion scandal involving her client. Bloom confirms she has spoken with the actor's attorney and they are on cooperative terms, but Sabbag and Hart have not had direct contact since the extortion news broke.

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the crime of falsely making or altering a writing by which the legal rights or obligations of another person are apparently affected; simulated signing of another person's name to any such writing whether or not it is also the forger's name.

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In apology, says, 'This is what drugs can do to a person'

By David Wright - dwright@timesgazette.com

A Hillsboro man was sentenced to a year and a half in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to forgery charges.

Jesse A. Roads, 28, Hillsboro, appeared in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday with defense attorney Denny Kirk, pleading guilty to two counts of forgery, a fifth-degree felony.

As previously reported by The Times-Gazette, Roads was indicted last month on four counts of forgery and one count receiving stolen property, all fifth-degree felonies.

Judge Rocky Coss sentenced Roads to nine months on each of the two forgery counts for a total of 18 months in prison, following a joint recommendation from the prosecution and the defense.

The remaining charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Coss noted during the hearing that Roads' charges were brought on by a number of falsified checks from an auto sales company.

Coss also said Roads had been charged with forgery in a previous case, and served a prison sentence after violating community control sanctions.

Roads apologized to the victims in the case, and added, "This is what drugs can do to a person," after thanking the court for allowing him "the opportunity to put this behind me."

Roads was given 75 days credit for time served in the county jail, and ordered to pay $287 in restitution to the victims.

Highland County Prosecuting Attorney Anneka Collins acknowledged the court and defense for bringing the case to an expeditious resolution.

Roads was remanded to police custody after the hearing.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.

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Hillsboro man sent to prison for forgery

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A Hillsboro man was sentenced to a year and a half in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to forgery charges. Jesse A. Roads, 28, Hillsboro, appeared in Highland County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday with defense attorney Denny Kirk, pleading guilty to two counts of forgery, a fifth-degree felony.

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Burglary is typically defined as the unlawful entry into almost any structure (not just a home or business) with the intent to commit any crime inside (not just theft/larceny). No physical breaking and entering is required; the offender may simply trespass through an open door. Unlike robbery, which involves use of force or fear to obtain another person's property, there is usually no victim present during a burglary.

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A burglar broke through the wall and ceiling of a Roswell barbershop Thursday to try to get away from SWAT officers before he was taken into custody, according to Channel 2 Action News.

The officers initially responded to Roswell Pawn & Jewelry in the 600 block of Holcomb Bridge Road, police said Thursday in a Facebook post.

Inside Barber Shop where burglar broke through wall and ceiling trying to get away from Roswell Police officers pic.twitter.com/DQQnDKAXco
- Steve Gehlbach (@SteveGWSB) October 5, 2017

The suspect got into the ceiling and broke through a wall to get into the barbershop next door, the news station reported.

He was arrested without incident a few hours later.

Know what's really going on with crime and public safety in your metro Atlanta community, including breaking news, trial coverage, trends and the latest on unsolved cases. Sign up for the AJC's crime and safety newsletter delivered weekly to your inbox.

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Burglary suspect in custody after SWAT situation

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A burglar broke through the wall and ceiling of a Roswell barbershop Thursday to try to get away from SWAT officers before he was taken into custody, according to Channel 2 Action News. The officers initially responded to Roswell Pawn & Jewelry in the 600 block of Holcomb Bridge Road, police said Thursday in a Facebook post.

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wrongfully obtaining property by a false pretense, such as a lie or trick, at the time the property is transferred, which induces the victim to transfer to the wrongdoer title to the property.

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the taking of someone else's property without the use of force.

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Law. the felonious taking of the property of another from his or her person or in his or her immediate presence, against his or her will, by violence or intimidation.

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Two men have been charged for their alleged roles in the robbery of the West Aaron Drive Uni-Mart, and an indictment related to the case was unsealed Wednesday in U.S. Middle District Court.

Jimmy Carter, 56, and Ted Roosevelt Johnson Jr, 36, of Erie, are charged in the State College case, and the indictment said two more people are being sought in connection with conspiracy to rob several stores in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

The indictment was unsealed following the recent arrest of Johnson, who eluded law enforcement for several months.

The first robbery occurred Dec. 15, 2016 at Orsini's Market in Erie, according to the indictment. The second happened Jan. 2 at a Family Dollar store in Benton Harbor, Michigan, followed by the Jan. 16 robbery at Uni-Mart. A fourth robbery occurred Jan. 29 at Circle K in Erie.

Each robbery was planned, according to the indictment, and included one individual acting as a lookout and getaway driver while others entered the store.

According to Ferguson Township police Sgt. Ryan Hendrick, three suspects entered the Uni-Mart store, fired a round of ammunition and took cash. They then fled on foot toward the Best Buy on North Atherton Street. The shots were fired into a wall behind the clerk.

Carter was charged with robbery, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, theft, receiving stolen property and recklessly endangering another person. Erie City police arrested Carter on Feb. 10 and charged him with possession of a firearm-prohibited and firearms not to be carried without a license.

Johnson was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, theft and receiving stolen property. Johnson, according to police, acted as a lookout.

Carter and Johnson were also charged in the indictment with interference of commerce by robbery.

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Two men have been charged for their alleged roles in the robbery of the West Aaron Drive Uni-Mart, and an indictment related to the case was unsealed Wednesday in U.S. Middle District Court.

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action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property.

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the criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis firefighters had to put out a small fire at a Hickory Hill where a man was shot early Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. in the 4200 block of Meadow Valley Drive East about 30 minutes after police, paramedics and firefighters responded to the shooting.

A man who lives across the street said the shooting victim showed up at his house saying he had been shot and needed help.

Fire officials said as their crews were leaving the scene they noticed smoke coming from the victim's house.

Firefighters were able to put out the fire before it did any real damage. Fire officials determined someone intentionally set the fire at multiple points inside the home.

A firefighter was also taken to the hospital after injuring his back, but he has since been released.

"That's bad. I mean, he's a good guy. I just see him coming in and out. We never have nothing on this street. It's always quiet. It was shocking that that happened this morning," neighbor Levette Peters said about the victim.

So far, police have not released a description of the suspect or the victim's condition.

If you know anything about the arson, call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH (2274) or the State Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017.

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Memphis Fire: Arson caused blaze at shooting victim's home

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis firefighters had to put out a small fire at a Hickory Hill where a man was shot early Wednesday morning. The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. in the 4200 block of Meadow Valley Drive East about 30 minutes after police, paramedics and firefighters responded to the shooting.