Woman admits trying to extort money from Gloversville mayor

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Lamendola

A city woman pleaded guilty to a violation in City Court Monday in connection to an alleged attempt to extort $2,000 from Mayor Dayton King.

Kristi L. Lyons, 29, of 29 Orchard St. will serve no time and will pay a $120 surcharge. She appeared before City Court Judge John Clo. Clo also granted two orders of protection against Lyons for the mayor and his wife, Chanda.

Lyons had been charged with grand larceny, a class E felony, on July 16 in a sting operation. Her plea was part of an agreement with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, her attorney, Michael Smrtic, and King. King said he agreed to the plea to end the matter. Smrtic was not available for comment.

Lyons said she had a sexual relationship with King and that she planned to release an incriminating email unless he paid her $2,000. King denied the relationship and worked with city police to gather evidence against Lyons.

“I never had a relationship with her. She and my wife know each other from grade school and high school,” King said. He said he does not know why Lyons chose to contact him.

King and Lyons met in a city park on July 16 in a meeting set up by King. Lyons showed King the email and then deleted it; in return, King gave her $2,000, which he said was “police money,” in an exchange monitored by police.

King said the email in question was a response to a comment Lyons made to his “Mayor Dayton King” Facebook page. He said she congratulated him for doing a good job as mayor and he wrote back, “I appreciate your support.”

Kristi Lyons does not appear to have a Facebook page under her name and address in Gloversville.