Police investigators expose Lompoc man’s extortion scheme
August 9, 2025
Warren Keller
By KAREN VELIE
Police officers arrested a 41-year-old Lompoc man on Thursday for allegedly operating an online extortion scheme in which he would threaten to post damaging information on social media unless his victims agreed to give him money, police said.
In July 2024, a victim informed the Lompoc Police Department that Warren Keller, through social media, had attempted to extort money from him in exchange for not posting damaging information. Detectives then opened an investigation.
In July 2025, a second victim came forward saying that Keller had extorted him via social media and was trying to extort more money from him.
On Aug. 4, a third victim reported that Keller had extorted hundreds of dollars from him since April 2024.
Following their investigation, armed with a warrant, detectives searched Keller’s home before arresting him on three charges of extortion and one charge of attempted extortion. He remain in jail in lieu of $55,000 bail.
The Lompoc Police Department is asking that any potential victims contact Detective Mauricio Calderon.
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