Contending they are "victims of an extortion scheme," a group of residents is taking legal action against Rutherford County and the probation company it hired to collect court fines on misdemeanor cases.

Murfreesboro Post writer Sam Stockard reports lawsuit was filed last week in federal court in Nashville by Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Equal Justice Under Law, the lawsuit says Providence Community Corrections and the county "have conspired to extract as much money as possible from misdemeanor probationers through a pattern of illegal and shocking behavior."

Rutherford County began contracting with PCC several years ago because it had a large number of outstanding fees it couldn't collect from people convicted of misdemeanors in General Sessions Court.

PCC collects millions in fines each year for Rutherford County, but it also charges fees to those on probation each time they come to the office for meetings or drug tests. The lawsuit contends many of those being forced to pay the fees are indigent or disabled.

The lawsuit states PCC's goal is to "maximize" profits by acting as a "probation officer" to collect court debts and to assess additional fees and surcharges "through repeated continuous threats to arrest, revoke and imprison" people who fail to pay.

For more information, visit the Murfreesboro Post or we have a link to Sam's story on our website, WGNSRadio.com.

LINK TO SAM STOCKARD'S STORY IN THE MURFREESBORO POST