Roslindale man charged with threatening to murder police detective trying to clear up a dispute between the man and a former business partner

A Roslindale man had bail set at $7,500 on Friday when he was arraigned on charges of extortion, larceny over $1,200 and witness intimidation for what the Suffolk County District Attorney's office says started with a dispute with a former business partner and ended with him threatening to kill a detective trying to mediate the disagreement and then threatening to kill and rape other officers and their families after he was brought in for booking.

In addition to setting bail, West Roxbury Municipal Court Judge Michael Bolden also ordered Christopher Drayton, 31, to stay away from the city where one of the officers lives, wear a GPS device and stay off social media. Bolden also ordered a mental-health evaluation for Drayton, the DA's office reports.

According to the DA's office:

On June 22, a Boston Police detective placed a phone call to Drayton in an attempt to resolve a dispute between Drayton and a former business associate over equipment belonging to the associate. Drayton allegedly refused to return the equipment unless his former associate paid him – demanding amounts up to $500.

Drayton made statements referencing the detective’s home address and claimed to have the layout of the residence. He told the detective to, “Watch out,” and additionally made statements that if anyone arrived at his home, “Someone would get killed.”

Drayton went on to make more than 10 phone calls to the district station, threatening the detective and other members of the department. He referenced the home address of another member of the department in one of these calls, prosecutors said. He also made statements referencing his relationship with a judge in an apparent attempt to dissuade police from pursuing their investigation.

Police dispatched a BEST crisis-intervention team to Drayton's home, but he refused to answer the door, the DA's office reports, adding:

Following the visit, he repeatedly called Boston police and made additional threats. Drayton, who is white, also sent text messages of a racial nature to the extortion victim, who is Black.

Police then arrested Drayton on Friday:

Drayton refused to complete the booking process and made threats to kill and rape officers and their families.

Innocent, etc.