Look at the facts and then decide! (Score 1)

Everyone here seems to be either ranting or siding with the guy. Before I take my position, let us look at the facts:

Richard talks to the county sheriff and tells them that he can host the sheriffs department website for free! the sheriff is happy and agrees. Three years down the line richard comes and says, "we can earn money!". Proposes advertising. Sheriff is happy. After some time, its clear there isnt so much money coming in from the ads, so he says to sheriff, pay me for the service or else... sheriff gets mad and refuses! Richard goes home and shuts down the webpage and demands $300K! The sheriff wants to set up the website and finds out that Richard owns the domain name! What to do? Being a cop, he arrests Richard and charges him for extortion, using a computer to commit a crime, larceny by conversion and obstruction of justice... his argument being, "the exorbitant demand amounts to extortion."!

Now the tables are suddenly turned on Richard, as he now has to justify himself although he was giving the service freely which means that he could walk away whenever he wanted and that he owned the sites name! I think Richard is right here and no matter what the sheriff calls it, its not extortion / kidnapping / ransom.

But this is the US and the justice system has its owncrazy way of working!