(Knoxville, Tennessee) A Tennessee man who threatened to out a prominent Christian singer unless he was paid off has been sentenced by a federal judge to 20 months in prison.

39-year-old Walbert Keith Farmer was arrested after well-known gospel singer Kirk Talley went to the FBI.

Agents say Farmer met the Dove Award-winning singer in a gay chat room last December and they arranged to meet in Knoxville. At the meeting Farmer told Talley that unless the singer paid him nearly $15,000 he would send copies of a nude picture Talley had sent of himself to the man to Christian music producers and to churches where the singer regularly performed.

Talley has been well known in Southern Gospel Music for over 25 years. He has been a member of such groups as the Hoppers, the Cathedrals and the Talley Trio.

While he was with the Talleys, he wrote the song "He Is Here". The Talleys received the 1992 Dove Award for 'Song of the Year' for the song. "He Is Here" was also nominated for a Grammy Awards that same year.

In going to police Talley outed himself, but he has paid a price.  He no longer sings with the group and has been refused bookings at a number of churches.

In addition to the prison time Farmer was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

Farmer pleaded guilty but said he should receive probation.  Farmer told the court that he was logged onto an innocuous chat room when he got an unwanted sexual overture from Talley. He claimed that his "moral outrage" drove him to attempt to extort the money.

by 365Gay.com News centre staff, ©365Gay.com® 2004